Family
by KatPeeta23
Summary: This is the sequel of That Was Then, This Is Now. And...what if on Hallie's birthday, all the children in the family gets kidnapped? What if, after a year, everyone gives up. But what if Katniss doesn't? If Katniss lied and went to college for a detective, too, surely she can find the kids? And maybe that hobby Peeta talked about in the last story...maybe that comes in handy.
1. Chapter 1

I'm on the phone with my Mama, who wants to know the details. Today is my husband Peeta and I's three childrens first day of school. Hallie is the oldest, and the other two are twins. They started Kindergarten.  
"Kat, it's two thirty. We won't make it in time." Peeta says.  
"Oops. Sorry Mama, I have to go. I'll have them call you guys later. I love you." I tell her.  
"I love you too." I hang up and follow Peeta out the door.  
School let out five minutes ago, at two twenty five. The school is ten minutes away, and I know that we're scaring them.  
"Where do I go?" Peeta asks.  
"I'm not waiting in that line. Just pull over to the side of the road and I'll go and get them." I say.  
"Okay," he pulls over. I get out of the school and head up the sidewalk and through the gate. All three of them are hysterical and their teacher is trying to console them.  
"Mama!" Hallie screams. I'm bombarded by my three children.  
"Sorry, thank you." I smile at their teacher. She's actually Gale's mother.  
"I think you know my son Gale. He went to your wedding." She smiles.  
"Yes, I know Gale." I smile. The kids start to argue over who is going to get to hold my hand. "Were they okay?" I ask.  
"They were wonderful. They're very friendly." She smiles.  
"Thank you," I smile.  
"Come on Mama!" Hallie impatiently tugs my hand  
"Well, thank you again." I say.  
Hallie grabs my hand before Brennan or Bailee can, and Brennan grabs my other one, making Bailee start to cry. I release both of their hands, put Bailee on my back and take their hands again.  
"Better?" I ask.  
"Yes!" She says. I head towards the car, making sure to remind them to look for cars, and have them tell me when its okay to go.  
"Am I good guys?" I ask.  
"Your good Mama!" Brennan says. I head to the car, and I see Peeta chucking as he gets out of the car.  
"Daddy!" Hallie releases my hand and runs to him and jumps into her arms. Hal and Bai are in dresses and Brennan is in jeans and a nice shirt.  
"Hey kiddo!" Peeta says. Brennan runs to Peeta too, and gets in his other arms. I get down Bailee, and she walks to Peeta and hugs his legs.  
"Come on," I laugh and peel the kids off Peeta, double checking their booster seats when they get in them to make sure their buckled.  
Finnick and Annie have a daughter and a son, their son is two and their daughter is four and they're married. Prim and Alex have Chase, who is six, and Olivia, who is three, they're getting on the fifteenth of next month. Then Johanna just has a boyfriend, Dustin Roberts. She lets the kids dominate her and she does whatever she says.  
"So how do you kids feel about…" Peeta looks at me from the corner of his eye. "About some ice cream? Do you guys want ice cream?" Hallie pulls her thumb out of her mouth, and so does Brennan and Bailee.  
"Okay!" Hallie says.  
"And sprinkles?" Bailee demands.  
"You bet!" Peeta says. I smile. We head towards the ice cream parlor, that surprisingly, Johanna and Dustin own together.  
"Are we going to see Auntie Jo Jo today?" Brennan asks.  
Johanna doesn't curse anymore.  
None of us do, not really.  
"I'm sure," I smile and take Bailee's and Hallie's hands, Peeta putting Brennan on his shoulders as we head inside.  
"Auntie Jo!" Peeta sets down Brennan and all three of them race over to Johanna, who does not see them coming.  
"Hey kids! How was school?" she smiles.  
"It was fun! We got to nap!" Brennan says. I smile. He loves sleeping and watching TV and playing board games with me, Peeta and the girls. Johanna gets them the ice cream, making sure to put a only a small amount of the unhealthy toppings they ask for. They sit down at a table, and Johanna pulls Peeta and I aside.  
"Look." She holds up her left hand, which has a shining diamond ring on it.  
"Oh gosh! Johanna, you're getting married!" I hug her, and she laughs and hugs me back. "Your maid of honor and Ann is matron. I'm not telling the rest of the family until Thanksgiving." She says. "I want Hal and Bai to be flower girls and Chase and Bren to be ring bearers. Dustin agrees." She says.  
"Mama, I have to go potty." Hallie says. Brennan yawns, and so does Bailee.  
"I'm tired Daddy." Bailee says.  
"Sorry Johanna, how about you come over for dinner? You and Dustin?" I ask.  
"Alright," she smiles. We gather the kids and take them home.  
When we get home, Hallie makes me go to the bathroom with her.  
"Are you tired?" I ask her as I pull her dress out of her underwear.  
"I'm hungry." She says.  
"Alrighty then, let's get you a snack." I smile. "But make sure to wash your hands first." I smile again and watch her as she gets out the stool and washes her hands. "Don't forget soap. You don't need a lot though honey, a little goes a long way." I squirt one squirt of soap onto her hands. She rubs them together and then dries them off and takes my hand and pulls me downstairs with her.  
"Mama, how come Daddy only makes cookies with us?" Hallie asks.  
"Because Hal...Mama isn't that good at cooking." I admit.  
"Can you try?" She asks.  
"Can Daddy help us?" I ask her.  
She grins. "Okay!" She exclaims.  
"Alrighty then, I'll be right back." I get up and go upstairs. I find Peeta in Brennan's room with Brennan. "Hal wants to make cookies and she wants me to help." I say. Peeta snorts and starts laughing.  
"Would you like some help?" He asks.  
"Yes," I smile.  
"I wanna make cookies!" Brennan whines.  
"Come on then!" I grin at him and he jumps up.  
"I don't want this on no more." He says. I walk over to him and unbutton his shirt and put it in the dirty clothes.  
"Do you want shorts?" I ask. He nods. "And a shirt?" He shakes his head. I get him gray basketball shorts. "Are these okay?" I ask.  
"Yes," he smiles. I hand then to him and he puts his hands on my shoulders as I help him put them on.  
"Alright, now go with Daddy while I go and talk to Bai." I smile and pat his butt. He grabs Peeta's hand and tugs him downstairs. "Bai honey?" I walk into her room and see her on the floor in her underwear. "Do you want to make some cookies?" I ask. She looks up at me and grins.  
"Cookies? Okay!" She goes to run past me, but I catch her waist and pick her up.  
"Don't you think you should put on some clothes?" I ask. She grins and hops down and then runs to her drawer.  
"Can you help me Mama?" She asks.  
"Sure," I walk over to her.  
"Wait, can I have one of your shirts?" She asks.  
Her and Hal love to wear my tee shirts. They're so little that the shirt goes to their knees. Hallie walks into the room.  
"Daddy says I need t change or I'll ruin my dress. May I have a shirt Mama?"  
"Sure. Come on," I lead to them Peeta and I's bedroom and get them some old tee shirts. I help Bai into hers and help Hal get her dress off and put the shirt on.  
"Uncle Finnick!" Brennan screams from downstairs. I see both of the girls eyes light up, and before I get Hal in her shirt, and bullets downstairs in her underwear. I laugh and follow her.  
"Hal?" I ask. She turns around. "Come here," I smile and she walks over to me. "Arms up,"  
She lifts her arms and I tug the shirt over her head. Then she launches herself at Finnick. Annie walks in then, with their son, Nick, who is two, and their daughter, Alyssa, who is four. Prim and Alex join too, with Chase, who is six, and Olivia, who is three. Then Jo and Dustin.  
Soon enough, I'm not making the cookies, Finnick and Peeta are.

….s….

Later that day, when the kids are watching Beauty and the Beast, chosen by Hallie, who insisted that since she is the oldest, she gets the choice of the film, I get an idea.

We've watched this movie ten times in the past three days.

"This is for girls! I don't want to watch this!" Brennan complains.

"Yeah, why do we always have to watch this movie?" Chase complains. "I'm not watching this, come on Brennan, let's go play catch!" Both boys get up and go outside to the backyard.

"How about you girls stay down here while the adults go downstairs and talk?" I ask. Peeta's 'man cave' is in the basement, where all the guys go when there's a game on. The adults all seem to understand I need to talk to them, so they follow me downstairs.

"What?" Peeta asks.

"I have an idea." I say.

"What Brainless?" Johanna asks.

"We should go on a vacation with the family to Florida over thanksgiving break and take the kids to Disney." I say. Peeta grins.

"I like it. I'm in, are you guys in?" everyone nods. "But lets surprise them, not tell them until we're actually in the park."

"Agreed. Thius is perfect." Johanna grins.

….s….

I am on the phone all day while the kids are at the school the next day, and the rest of the week until Saturday.

It's Saturday now. "Mama, will you come outside with us? Let's play a game!" I'm pretty young to have three kids, well…I'm not _old. _I'm only thirty one.

Peeta and I spend the whole day outside with the kids. "Wait, Mama, behind you!" Hallie squeals. I turn around to find a ball Brennan threw at me flying towards me. I catch it and toss it back. They have no clue. No clue that we bought tickets already, that the whole family is going and we're spending the week till Wednesday in Florida, then going back to Mama's for Thanksgiving.

They also have no clue that the family is coming down next week for Hallie's sixth birthday. Peeta and I got her a bike and a helmet, and we're going to teach her to ride it.

I'm so excited. I duck when Peeta throws a ball, then I hear it hit something, and then Bailee starts crying. I turn around to see her on the ground with scraped knee. "Oh honey, I am so sorry, come on, lets get you cleaned up." I lift her into my arms and take her inside. Peeta stays out with the kids.

My cooking skills are improving. I can make dinner now, but I can't bake. I bring Bai upstairs to the bathroom and sit her down on the counter. She screams as I pour peroxide on her and cries into my shoulder. I remember when I was little, scraping your knee was the worst thing that could happen, and you always cried when it happened. I put Neosporin on her band-aid and then put the bandaid on her knee. I kiss on the bandage. "There you go, all better." I pick her up again. "Do you want to go back outside?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"Can we watch Tink?" she whispers.

"Sure," I take her downstairs and put Tinker Bell in the DVD player and lay her on the couch. It's noon, so I head to the kitchen and put a pot of water on the stove to boil.

Hal's birthday is a Sunday, so that's when her party is. I'm taking her to the mall and when I get home with her, the family will be here and they're going to be hiding. Everyone is going to jump up and shout surprise and I know she's going to be estatic.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hal? Honey, are you ready?" I ask.

"Okay Mama!" She walks out of her bedroom in the dress I laid out for her, which is a white dress that goes to an inch above her knees, and its lace, and he boots. Her hair is long and wavy and dark like mine, and anyone with eyes can tell she's my daughter, because she's literally me with blue eyes. She's so beautiful. I'm in a skintight white dress that goes to a few inches above my knees, and a silver bracelet. It's not inappropriate. I literally look no different from when I was twenty five.

Seriously though, when I put this dress on, it took five minutes of making out with Peeta for him to take it right back off. That was earlier though, before anyone else was awake. I have boots on too, and my hair is exactly like her's. Bailee is going to wear a white dress with pink flowers on it, her hair is curlier than Hal's because she's got Peeta's curls and hair color, and she's wearing a purple headband. Brennan is going to wear a blue shirt and pants.

I adjust my purse and take Hal's hand and pull her downstairs, kissing Peeta goodbye on the way out. He's struggling to keep his eyes on mine, instead of my body. I lead Hal to my car and make sure she's in her seat, and I head out.

"So what stores do you want to go to?" I ask, holding her hand as we walk through the parking lot and into the mall.

"Um…I want to go to Gap, the Disney store, Yankee Candle, Bath and Body Works and…Justice." She smiles.

"And Claire's? You love that store too, right?" I ask.

"Yeah, and Claire's," she says.

I drag her all around the mall, to all the stores she loves and I distract her as best I can. I'm the best at procrastination, and the entire family agreed I need to take her to the mall, because I'm the best at distraction.

"Mama, I have to go potty." She says. We're in Yankee Candle, and I'm making her smell all of them. She's an honest child, and she gives me her honest opinion on everything. "That smells terrible," she says. I laugh and put it back.

"Alright, let's go potty." I take her hand and pull her towards the bathroom. I make sure she washes her hands. "Want to go back to Yankee Candle?" I ask.

"No, let's go to Bath and Body Works." She says. She loves Yankee Candle and Bath and Body Works because it smells amazing. I successfully spend an hour in that store with her.

My phone beeps.

Baby: _are you going to be able to distract her for like…two more hours? My Mom forgot to get the cake, so now we have to make it._

Me: _yeah, I kept her in Bath and Body Works for an hour. Next is Justice, then Claire's, and then the Disney Store. She's going to be in there for at least two hours, so don't worry._

Baby: _okay, love you_

Me: _love you too_

"Mama, can I call Grandma?" asks Hallie.

"Sure," I dial my mother.

"What? Is there a problem?" she asks.

"Hallie wants to talk to you." I tell her.

"Oh…EVERYONE SHUT UP, HALLIE WANTS TO TALK TO ME!" she shouts. "Okay, put her on."

"Here Hal," I hand her my phone as I drag her to Justice.

"Hi Grandma!" she exclaims. I zone out their conversation, knowing my mother won't spoil anything. "Love you bye." She hangs up on her and hands me the phone.

We really need to work on the way she ends a conversation. Someone could be in mid-sentence and she'll just be like 'love you goodnight bye' and then she hangs up on them before the person on the other line can process. She starts to obsess over the dresses and everything for two hours straight. Then I drag her to Claire's and get her a necklace that she begged me to get for her.

It almost makes me cry because it says "A Mama is a forever friend" and she wears that, and it comes with another that says "A Daughter is a forever friend" and she makes me wear it. I already have one from Bailee, but it's a bracelet, and it's actually the one I'm wearing now. We leave Claire's, and by now we're late to the party. We get to the Disney store, and she insists on looking at everything, so we're stuck here for three more hours, and the whole time I'm texting Peeta.

Me: _okay, were heading home now. _

_Baby: text when you'll be here in five_

Me: _k love you_

Baby: _k love you too_

I get her in the car, and head home. She sings along with the songs she knows, and when we're five minutes away, I text Peeta.

Me: _five minutes_

Baby: _k_

When we're in the driveway, I make sure to slam the door as hard as I can. I slam hers too, and she insists on holding her stuff. "No Mama!" she says loudly. "I want to!"

"Okay," I shrug. I lock the door four times to make the horn honks, and then I walk to the front door. She opens the door herself. There isn't a single decoration in the house because the party is out in the backyard, but everyone is in here, and they're all hidden. I slam the front door. The second it clicks behind me, everyone pops up.

"Surprise!" they shout together. She jumps and drops her things, staring at them. Then she starts crying, but I know it's happy tears.

"Oh my gosh!" she chokes out. She looks at me, and then at Peeta and everyone else. "Who came up with this?" she asks. It was me, but I'm not gonna say it. Everyone points at me, and she turns to face me. "Mama!" she cries, jumping into my arms and hugging me. "Thank you Mama!" she kisses my cheek. I laugh.

"You're welcome, but it wasn't only me, it was everyone." I sit her down, and she starts to run around, kissing everyone and hugging all of them, including her siblings. I take her things to her room and go back downstairs. We move outside, where there is a bouncy house. All the children ditch their shoes and run for it.

Mama hugs me. "You never age." She shakes her head. "You're so lucky." She laughs and I smile.

"Hey Mama," I say, going around and hugging everyone hello.

"Where's my hug?" Peeta demands.

"I already saw you today." I reply with a smirk. He knows I'm playing with him. I wrap my arms around his neck anyways and hug him. Her pulls me flush against him and kisses my forehead, and then my lips.

"Hi," he whispers.

"Hi," I grin.

The sprinklers come on out in the field, and before I can stop the kids, they're fleeing the bouncy house and completely soaking themselves.

Hallie is hanging out with Justin Hawthorne, her teachers Grandson, Gale and Madge Hawthorne's son. Narrow my eyes.

"Look familiar guys?" I nod at Hallie and Justice, thinking of Peeta and I.

"Yes. She needs to stay away from him," Peeta says.  
"Oh calm down." I wave him off. "She's six. They're not getting pregnant, they're not having sex. They're just like us." I say.

"Yeah, and we're married with three kids." he replies.

"Yeah, and we're also in our thirties." I reply. He sighs.

"Fine. I'll drop it. If they hug though-"

"Then they hug." I cut him off.

PEETA'S POV

I remain silent, although I don't want my little girl over there with some boy. I don't care if she's eighty. She's never allowed to date or get married or anything. She's going to stay at home, single.

Katniss glares at me, and the rest of the family just stares, and that's when I realize I just said that out loud.

"Fine, then the same goes with Brennan."

"Oh come on, he can date. He's a boy. Boy's have needs."

"So do girls." She snaps.

"Whatever, lets all go inside and get the everything ready."

..s..

KATNISS'S POV

I'm sent outside to retrieve the children. The oldest is Audrey, who is twelve.

"Kids, come on!" I shout. Then I realize the bouncy house is empty. I frown and step all the way out the door. "Kids?" I walk around for a while but don't see any sign of them.

I mean, there's footprints, but they couldn't possibly be one of the kids. These are big footprints.

The footprints of a man.

I follow the footprints and realize they're followed by a dragging. They trail all the way to the driveway, and where they stop, is where Bailee's headband rests.

I pick it up, my heart pounding.

The kids are gone, there's footprints of a big man in the dirt, and theres notice that someone was dragged, and Bailee's headband was left in te dirt. Tears start to pour down my cheeks from the pain in my chest.

Someone took the kids. They took Justin and Olivia and Chase and Nick and Alyssa and Audrey.

And Hallie, and Bailee, and Brennan.

"Peeta! Someone!" I shout, starting to run around, calling for anybody.

"Katniss, Katniss, calm down, what? Where are the kids?" Peeta puts both hands on my arms.

'They're gone! I found Bailee's headband by the driveway and there's some man's footprints in the dirt and theirs dragging marks!" I say.

'They're gone?" Prim repeats.

"I can't fucking find them!" I shout.

"Okay, alright, it's okay Kat honey, lets go look," Mama soothes. We split up and run around the town, shouting for the kids, asking anyone we pass if they've seen them.

When we don't come out lucky and we get back to the house, I shove everyone away from me and call the police.

"911, what is your emergency?" The secretary asks.

"Someone kidnapped all of the kids in my family." I say, forcing myself to stay calm.

She starts asking me all kinds of questions, and after a while, I get annoyed. "Just talking to me about random shit isn't going to find the kids, get a fucking cop here." And then I hang up.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanksgiving flies past. We don't celebrate.

Christmas flies past. We don't celebrate.

Valentine's day flies past. We don't celebrate.

The snow starts to melt, and Easter rolls around. We don't celebrate that, either.

The cops say their dead. That whoever took my babies killed them.

Everyone is beginning to accept it, but I refuse.

I went to college, not only for teaching, but to be a detective.

I didn't tell anyone, because I thought it was pointless.

But now, in late May, past my thirty second birthday, I sit, staring at a family photo on the wall.

We don't talk much anymore, but the family doesn't go home.

We still hope they're going to show up on the doorstep one day.

I will _slowly_ murder who took my family. Who took my babies.

Who look my life.

But as I stare at the family photo, that was taken when Peeta and I were nine years old on Christmas, a thought occurs to me.

A thought so brilliant that I can't believe I never thought of it.

A thought that makes me crack my stiff joins and set my legs on the ground, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees.

They all notice my change in demeanor,and they follow my gaze.

Those mother fucking asshole cunt ass bitches.

I'm going to kill them.

I will murder them.

My mind starts to whirl, back to when Hallie was just a small baby, only about two, three months. Back when Peeta and I were in bed, and Hallie was taken. The people that took her only made it to downstairs before I woke to her crying. I told them to put her down and they threw her.

I was deathly afraid she was going to die.

And the went to jail. They went to jail for five years.

On Thanksgiving week, when the kids were five, that was the week they got out of jail.

Surely, if they were to get revenge on me, they would do something that would break me.

"Katniss, what are you thinking?" Johanna whispers. I narrow my eyes, staring at my Aunt Megan, Uncle Andrew and my small cousin, who is now twenty, Jessica.

The only thing that could break me is to take my kids, all the kids in my family.

Which will destroy, not only me, but Peeta, and everyone else in our families.

My lips purse slightly in concentration.

Let's see…I tick off the months from November to September.

December…January, February, March, April, May, June, July,August, September…

Ten months.

I think back to detective school, back when I was in college.

In ten months, you can out together a plan and complete it.

The police did say that they think it was a man, a women and a younger women and a child that took them.

Uncle Andrew is the man, Aunt Megan is the women, Jessica is the younger women, and the child is Jessica's younger kid, who is six, if I'm correct.

Whatever, I know he's around Hallie's age.

I know them enough to know that they won't kill a child, but they will nearly kill them.

My heart surges with anger as I sit up.

"Katniss, you look like your ready to kill someone." Peeta says wearly.

"Those fucking bastards." I hiss as I rise.

"Katniss?" Prim whispers.

We're all broken, but it's made us a million times closer. I shake my head in pure anger and pick up the knife from dinner and send it flying at the photo, where it wedged right into Uncle Andrews forehead. They all gasp.

I've been angry, but I've never thrown a knife.

Then, without a word, I stomp upstairs and get my laptop. I lock myself in Brennan's room and block the door with his dresser. For days, I research everything. I search through their Face Book, I hack their emails, I find their address and I look through their photos after I hack into their computer with my own.

I search for a long time, occasionally exiting the room to eat and shower, ignoring the questions thrown my way as I lock myself in my son's bedroom.

I find a picture of Brennan, Hal, Bai, and the others on the floor.

They're pale and unhealthily skinny.

This was taken a few days ago.

Its Junetwenty first. Brennan and Bailee's birthday was six days ago.

Tonight. Tonight is when I will strike.

When I'm positive everyone is asleep, I get up and pack anything and everything I could need, I get a first aid kid and all of it. I buy a plane ticket to the place they live, which is in Montana and sneak out of the house, leaving my phone at home with a small note that just says "I love you all"

I don't know if they're planning to kill me when I go after them, but I will fucking _destroy_ them.

The entire country knows about the kids being kidnapped because it went public, and I'm recognized as mother of three of the children.

…..s…..

I land in Montana with a hundred and eight missed calls. I put my phone on silent. It's only five in the morning here, but its eight at home.

The house is an hour from here, according to my GPS on my phone.

It's still dark when I get there, and my heart is racing.

I keep all the doors open so we can make quick escape. This house is fucking creepy at nighttime. There's windows are cracked and there's cobwebs. I set up the path, and the stairs creek underneath me, making me freeze. I hold my breath and wait, but nobody comes. I can hear whispers of scared children.

"I miss Mama," that was Bailee.

"Bailee, shut up or they're going to come down here and beat you again!" Audrey hisses. I open the door a crack and peek inside. They're all sitting around the living room, but there isn't a sign of any of them. I push the door open all the way, and all of the children look up, and I put a finger to my lips and slowly step into the house. I take them out of the house, two at a time.

All of them are crying silently. I get them all in my car, only Audrey left. I sneak back into the house.

"Katniss, you're going to die today." Uncle Andrew hisses.

"Am I?" I have a knife in my pocket, and I won't hesitate to kill him. I pull the knife out of my pocket. "Audrey honey, go get in the car," I smile. She swallows and sneaks past me to the car.

"Yes," he shows me his shotgun. "You are." He replies.

I will let him kill me, if it means my kids and family get to live.

"Go ahead, asshole. You're going back to fucking jail anyways," I snarl.

"Grandpa?" A little girl asks, who I can tell is Jessica's daughter. He looks away for two seconds, but that's all I need. I throw my knife and it lodges in his arm.

He shouts in anger and the gun goes off, but it misses me. I sprint out the door, down the driveway, into my car, start it and slam down on the gas.

"Shut the doors!" I order, slamming my door shut. Audrey shuts hers, and Brennan manages to shut his, and then he shuts Bailee's. I dial the police and explain everything, looking in the rearview mirror to see the jackass is following me. "Seatbelt on." I order. All the kids put on their seatbelt. "Did I ever tell you guys that Uncle Haymitch taught me to drive?" I ask with a grin.

"Which means we're going to lose them," Audrey says.

"Correct," I reply. I look in the rearview mirror to see that all of them are right on my tail.

Thank god for Jeep Wranglers. I push down on the gas, going over a hundred as I swerve around cars. I turn sharply down an ally and lose my mirror on a dumpster, and then I make a sharp left, making them think I'm going to actually go that way, but at the end of the alley, when they're just turning down it, I go left again and get right back into the alley and blow straight out of it and make a right, heading down a busy street as fast as my car can go. My phone starts ringing with Peeta's ringtone.

"I'm kinda busy right now babe," I sigh.

"Where are you? When are you coming home?" he asks.

"I'll be home sometime this week and I'm on the way now. Just bear with me, okay?" I ask.

"Fine…I love you." he says

"I love you too," I hang up and turn a sharp left onto the highway and swerve in and out of cars, knowing I've officially lost him.

Then I head for home. "When did you guys eat last?" I ask.

"Two or…no, three days ago, we haven't showered since we left, we haven't eaten in three days, and even then it was just a single piece of old bad lunch meat. We haven't drunken since that long and it was toilet water."

"Okay, in the back there's a cooler and there's fresh water and a ton of food in there." I say. The kids are covered in dirt and they look so unhealthy and their lacking sleep.

I wish I'd have killed that bastard. "You guys are safe now, I promise." I say.

"Mama?" Hallie whispers.

"Hmm honey?" I ask.

"I love you." she mumbles. I look at her in the rearview mirror, my eyes welling with tears.

"I love you too. I love all of you."

…..s…..

When we get out of Montana and into South Dakota, I know that the kids need a bed and a shower and a place with proper, healthy food.

I pull into a five start hotel, not caring about the price. I manage to wake everyone but Brennan, so I just pick him up. He wakes up, panicked at first, but them he sees its me and he un-tenses and rests his head against my shoulder, drifting back to sleep. I get my wallet and the bag of stuff I packed and head inside, booking a room with only two beds, because I know the kids want to share.

When I lady recognizes me as the mother of three of the kids, she refuses to let me pay a cent and tells me she can't imagine what it's like and informs me she has six of her own.

"Thank you," I say. She hands me the room key. All of the kids stay really close to me as I lead them upstairs and into the room.

"Can I take a bath, mama?" Hallie asks.

"Of course honey, go ahead." I smile. I lay Brennan down on the bed. Hal hesitates in the doorway of the bathroom, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Will you come with me?" she whispers. I rise add follow her to the bathroom, leaving to door open. She goes potty first, and then she gets in the bath and just stares at me. "I thought you didn't love me no more." She whispers.

"Oh honey, you know I love you." I whisper. I help her wash her body and her hair, and then get her fresh panties and one of my shirts and put them on her. I lift her up and carry her to bed, taking Brennan in and washing him, next.

I do Bailee then, letting Brennan sleep in one of Peeta's tee shirts, which makes him cry. "I miss Daddy." He whispers.

"Daddy misses you, too. You can see him when we get home." I kiss his forehead and carry him to bed.

I keep bathing all the kids, only Audrey saying she's fine to go alone.

When I leave the bathroom though, after my own shower, all the kids are asleep, my three in one bed and the rest in the other. I walk over to my children.

"Mama?" Bailee whispers.

"Hmm honey?" I ask, planning to sleep on the floor.

"Sleep in our bed. Please Mama, don't go," she whispers.

"Yeah Mama, come." Brennan says.

"Please?" Hallie asks. I smile and climb in with them, laying in the middle.

All three of them cuddle against me, and I swear to god, I sleep better tonight than I have in my entire life.

…s…

When I wake, the TV is on and my three are lying against me, all of them awake.

Nobody complains that the show is on Disney Channel.

"Does my Mama still love me?" Olivia whispers. She's Prim's three year old.

"Your Mama still loves you very much. They just don't know I found you guys." I run my fingers through all three of my kid's hair and sit up. "Let's go home." I say.

We get food first, a huge meal, and together, we all eat it. They get their favorites, and I even stop for ice cream for them. The next night, the kids sleep with me again, refusing to let me go anywhere else. I beg people that see us not to say a word because I really want to surprise them.

When the "_Welcome to Vermont!_" sign appears, the kids realize they're going to see their parents, and they all start to bounce excitedly.

It's three in the morning when we get in the driveway. "Everyone quiet." I whisper. I sneak up the front door and into the house, where everyone is asleep. "WAKE UP!" I shout, flipping on the light. The kids are just in one of my shirts, or Peeta's. Everyone stirs. Peeta comes downstairs, and his eyes widen from shock.

"Daddy!" Brennan, Bailee, and Hallie all run for Peeta.

"Mama!" Audrey runs for her mother, Justin runs for Gale and Madge, Olivia and Chase run for Prim, Nick and Alyssa run for Finn and Annie and I just watch. Eventually Peeta just kneels down in front of the kids and hugs them all at once.

"How?" Prim demands, staring at me.

"Yeah Kitty! What the heck!" Finn exclaims. Everyone goes silent, staring at me.

"Well…" I begin. "I was sitting on the couch staring at that photo…I was Megan, Andrew and Jessica and I realized something. They got out of jail in November. If they wanted revenge, they would do something to break us. So, they used the time from Thanksgiving to September to plan, they took the kids, but they wouldn't kill them, just about. So, I researched everything and I went to their house and I took the kids, and I may have um…thrown a knife at Andrew and…yeah, I think I got it in a vein in his arm…" I mumble.

"Have they slept, eaten?" Finnick asks.

"Not much before I found them. They hadn't showered since September, but I took care of that," I say.

"You…I love you so much!" Finnick picks me up and then everyone swarms me, freaking out.

Peeta makes up a ton of food and forces the kids to eat, and he realizes he made them eat too much when Brennan throws up.

"Alright, bedtime!" Peeta says. "You too, come on." He pulls me and the kids upstairs at five in the morning. He doesn't let the kids to their room, and they don't ask.

The five of us curl into our bed and we all fall asleep.

….s…

I wake up to screams, coming from Hallie, waking up Peeta, me, Bailee and Brennan.

I'm blasted back in time, to when I would have 9/11 nightmares.

Everyone looks scared and confused, but I shake her awake. She takes one look at me and bursts into sobs. "Oh Hal, come here," I hug her and she sobs into my shoulder as I run my fingers through her hair.

"He killed me Mama, he killed me."

"I know baby, but he didn't." I whisper.

**I think I'm going to put this story on hold until I get another idea because I'm out. If you want to recommend something, I'll consider it, but for now, I'm going to start a new story. **


	4. Chapter 4

I wake up with my head on Peeta's chest, Hallie's head on my shoulder, Brennan's head on Peeta's stomach and Bailee's head on my stomach.  
I'm the only one awake. I turn my head, and place a soft kiss to Hallie's temple, since she's closest to me.  
"Mama?" Hallie whispers, sitting up.  
"Hmm?" I mumble.  
Her face screws with sorrow. "I didn't mean to Mama." She whispers.  
"Mean to what?" I ask.  
"I uh…I peed the bed Mama. I'm sorry." I look at the bed next to me and see that both Bailee and I are laying in pee.  
"It's okay honey, I'll take care of it." I run my fingers through her hair. "How about you and Bai go take a bath?" I ask, waking Bailee.  
"What Mama?" Bailee whines.  
"Go and take a bath with Hal. She had an accident." I whisper. She looks down at the shirt she's wearing.  
"That was mean Hallie!" she cries, waking Peeta and Brennan.  
"Hey, be nice. It was an accident, up, go and take a bath." I tell them. Bailee climbs off the bed and follows Hallie to the bathroom.  
"What happened?" Peeta asks.  
"Hallie had an accident." I say. I sit up and see that it spread underneath me and past Peeta to Brennan.  
"Gross!" Brennan complains.  
"It's fine son, just go take a bath." Peeta says, ruffling his curls. Brennan gets up and walks off down the hall. Peeta and I take a shower in our bathroom, and we almost have sex before we remember that our three kids are awake and are bound to knock on the door for something. I get dressed in a beige bra, a white tank top and blue and white plaid pajama pants. I strip the sheets and pillows off the bed and pull them downstairs to the laundry room, starting a load.  
"Kitty," Finn walks over to me and hugs me. "Thank you. Seriously, I can't repay you." he whispers.  
"Don't bother." I wave him off. "If you insist on repaying me, you can take care of my godchildren." I say. He grins. Bailee comes downstairs in another one of my tee shirts, which I know she did the courtesy of getting on her own, a teddy bear that she sleeps with every night dragging on the floor behind her, her baby blanket over her shoulder and her thumb in her mouth. Her hair is sopping wet and I can tell she didn't get all of the soap out. "Come here, you," I kneel down and she walks over to me and hugs me. I hug her back. "You know that you didn't get all the soap out, right?" I ask.  
She looks me in the eyes and grabs my hand. "Can you help me?" she asks.  
"Come on," I stand up and let he drag me back upstairs to the bathroom. "Hal?" I call.  
"Yeah Mama?" she calls from her bedroom.  
"Come here please."  
I turn on the tub as she exits her bedroom and walks down the hall to me.  
"Yeah Mommy?" she asks.  
I feel her hair and see she still has soap in it too. "Alright you two, take your clothes off again." I shut the door. They take off their clothes, which are my shirts and their panties and then they climb into the bath tub. I let them play for a bit. "Did I ever you two that I used to be a teacher?" I ask.  
"No," Hallie says.  
"Well, I was. I taught kindergarten, and then eighth grade, and then I got fired and then rehired at a ninth grade teacher, after you were born Hal. When you got two months, that's when I decided to go to be the teacher, and Auntie Annie went with me. Hal, you came to work with me, and I eventually quit, because I didn't get to spend time with Daddy anymore and I couldn't nurse you because you wouldn't use the bottle. You never got to see Daddy, either." I say.  
"Really Mama? Would you ever go back to teaching?" Hal asks.  
"I don't know…probably not…maybe though, I'm not sure." I kiss both of their foreheads and then wash the rest of the soap out of their hair all the way.  
"Kat, when your done can I talk to you?" Peeta asks outside the door.  
"Yeah, just give me a sec." I say. I wrap the girls up in towels and towel dry their hair, brush through it and then help them dress.  
"Are you coming Mama?" Bailee asks, clearly not wanting me to be away from her.  
"Just let me talk to Daddy and then I'll be right there." I say.  
"Okay," She joins hands with Hallie and they disappear. I head down to me and Peeta's bedroom.  
"Yeah baby?" I ask.  
"I think we should go and check on the restaurant." He says.  
"Today?" I ask.  
"Soon." He replies. "Like…when school lets out. Gale talked to his mom about kindergarten and they're going to do summer school to start school on time. Let's just go before school lets out because they're not starting until the day after school lets out." He says. "We haven't checked on it since the twins were born aside from calling and I think we really need to." He says.  
"Me too, let's go tomorrow. The kids will love New York." I give him a long kiss.  
"Hey! Butt head! That's mine!" Hallie screams.  
"No it's not! It's mine!" Brennan screams back.  
"Mama!" They scream together. I sigh and go downstairs. They're fighting over a teddy bear. I walk over to them and take it from both of their hands.  
"No it's not, it's mine." I say. Hallie sits down on the floor and crosses her arms in a pout.  
"Daddy, Mama is being mean!" Brennan cries, sitting down on the floor in a pout. Peeta comes downstairs and eyes the bear in my hands.  
"No she isn't. Don't fight over a bear. We have fifty more of them in this house." Peeta says. "And since Bailee has been a good girl, the bear is hers." Peeta takes the bear from me and hands it to Hallie, who is leaning against Mrs. Mellark with her thumb in her mouth, now two bears on her lap, and her blanket covering her.  
"I don't want it." Bailee takes the bear and drops it on the floor.  
"Then pick it up and bring it here. Don't throw things on the floor. That's sloppy and rude." I correct her.  
"Mama," Brennan stands up. "I'm sorry for saying your mean." He says. I ruffle is curls.  
"Just don't do it again, alright Bren?"  
"Okay Mama." He wraps his arms around my legs in an attempt to hug me, so I just kneel down and hug him.  
"Alright, I believe we have some holidays and birthdays to catch up on." Peeta says.  
We have Hallie's birthday's presents, and Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and Brennan and Bailee's birthday presents.  
So what we're going to do is have them open the birthday presents, then Christmas, then let them play with their stuff and have Thanksgiving for dinner.  
Hallie opens first, and she screams when she sees her bike, and she hugs both Peeta and I. We got Brennan and Bailee their bikes, too. They scream too, and then we bring out the Christmas presents for all the kids, and they all go berserk.  
We record it, their squeals of excitement, all of it.  
It's so adorable. I lean against Peeta, and he puts his arm around me, rubbing my shoulder.  
We have Christmas Breakfast and when we're done, we turn on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, that Haymitch has the sense to record.  
"I wish we could have a snowball fight!" Brennan exclaims. "Mama is always the best." I laugh and he grins at me. We play Christmas music when the parade is over and the kids play with their new toys as the adults work on dinner.  
"Stop it Butt Face! That's mine!" Hallie screams. I her Bailee start crying, and I walk into the living room to see Bailee sitting there with her own baby blanket in her hand, which is ripped in half, and Hallie sitting there with the other half.  
Her teddy bear is ripped, too.  
"Hallie!" I shout at her. "What in the world, why did you do that!" Peeta walks in here too, and sees what happened. I pick up Bailee, who is hysterically crying.  
"Upstairs now, you can come down for dinner and your bath later. Your staying in there all day." Peeta says. Hallie bursts into tears as she storms off upstairs and slams the door.  
Oh gosh, that's one of Peeta's buttons. Slamming doors I mean. He says that shows attitude. He goes right after her, as I hold Hallie.  
"What happened?" Mama asks. I point at the floor, and Mama's jaw drops. Everyone in the family knows that Bailee can't sleep without her bear and blanket. Even last night she slept with it.  
"Bai honey, Grandma can fix it." I soothe.  
It is true, my mother can fix it. "No I can't Katniss." Mama whispers.  
"Well then we'll get it fixed." I say. She just keeps crying and crying and crying, and she just stops suddenly, stops moving and stays still, only breathing. I know she passed out.  
I remember the first time Hallie did this back when we was two. I was home alone and I had a panic attack and called the police. By the time that they got there, she was awake and they assured me she's fine and that it's normal.

PEETA'S POV

"Do not slam this door." I say to Hallie. She doesn't reply, she just cries into her pillow. I shut her door and go back downstairs. Bailee is unconscious in Katniss's arms.

KATNISS'S POV

As fast as she's out, she's awake again, and crying.  
"Peeta, we'll get those firxed tomorrow, right?" I shoot him a look, and he knows I mean in New York.  
"Let's go do it right now. I'll be back." He collects the blanket, the stunning and both parts of the bear.

PEETA'S POV

I walk into the Tailor's.  
"How may I help you?" he smiles.  
"Okay…so…I have two six year olds. One of them ripped these-" I set the ripped bear and the stuffing and the ripped blanket on the counter. "In half. The other six year old can't sleep without them. Please tell me you can fix it." I run my hands over my face, stressed.  
"You the father of three of the kids that got kidnapped, aren't you?" he asks. I sigh and nod.  
"Yes, my wife found them though."  
"I'lll fix it for free. Give me an hour." He says.

KATNISS'S POV

She's still hysterical when Peeta gets back. "Bailee, looks what Daddy has!" I exclaim. She lifts her head just a bit, and sees the bear and the blanket, which both look good as new. She gasps and reaches for Peeta, who picks her up and hands her the blanket and the bear.  
"Is this the same? You promise you didn't just buy a new one?" she asks.  
"I promise baby girl, I promise." He kisses her forehead and sets her down.  
"I want to take a nap." She complains. All of the kids are getting fussy because they don't normally stay awake all day. I lift up Bailee and carry her upstairs, and Peeta gets Brennan. I lay her down on her Tinker Bell bed. It's got tinker bell sheets and comforters and pillowcases, and her headboard is a castle, and her wall is lavender and she has light carpet and the rest of her furniture is white. I lay her in bed and sit down on the edge. "Mama, why did Hallie do that to me?" she asks, tears brimming in her eyes again. I kiss them away, putting my hand on her chest.  
"I don't know baby, I don't know. It's better though, so don't worry." I kiss her forehead.  
"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" she whispers.  
"Of course baby," I rub her belly. She watches me for a while, and eventually rolls over. I move my hand to her back, because I know she's still awake. Soon enough though, her breathing gets slower and I know she's asleep. I cover her more and get up, closing her door after making sure her window is locked because I don't want some asshole stealing my daughter again. I leave her door open a crack and peek my head into Brennan's room to see him fast asleep. I creep in and lock his window, too. Then I kiss his forehead and shut his door. His room is light blue and he's got a Scooby doo bed and the bed itself is actually the mystery machine. His carpet is light and the rest of his furniture is black. His sheets and comforter and pillows though, are Scooby.  
Then I go down the Hal's room. She's lying, tears sliding down her cheeks, staring at the ceiling. I walk into her room and lock her mirror. "Do you hate me, Mama?" she whimpers.  
I pause in the doorway, and then turn to face her. She's crying harder now, and I know she really thinks I hate her. I walk over to her and sit down on the edge of her bed. "No honey, I don't hate you." I whisper.  
Her bedroom is light pink and she has Princess Belle bedding and there is Belle on her wall, but her furniture is white, and her floor is light. "Then why were you shouting at me? You never shout at me."  
"Because honey…you destroyed Bailee's teddy bear and her baby blanket. You know better than that." I say.  
"I'm sorry." She whispers.  
"It's not me you need to apologize to." I whisper.  
"Bailee!" she calls.  
"Is asleep. She's asleep. You should be, too." She slides under her covers.  
"Stay with me until I asleep Mama please." She says.  
Her speech is terrible. "Okay honey." I rub her back until she's asleep, and then I kiss her forehead and exit the room, leaving her door open a crack.

…..a…..

Brennan comes downstairs first, and he normally climbs right into Peeta's lap, but this time he climbs into mine. "Hi Mommy," he whispers.  
"Hi Bren," I run my fingers through his curls. "Sleep well?" I ask. He rests his head on my shoulder and nods.  
"Yes. I missed you Mama." He whispers.  
I laugh, "You just saw me a few hours ago." I say.  
"I'm not talking about a few hours ago. I'm talking about when we weren't home." He whispers. His eyes fill with tears, and Brennan normally doesn't cry. "I really missed you." he starts crying, and I wipe away his tears and hug him.  
"I missed you too. But I'm here now," I whisper.  
"Don't let me go away again." he whispers. The family is watching us, and I'm fighting to keep it together.  
"I won't, I promise." I whisper.  
I'm silent for a long time, crying on the inside and fighting not to on the outside. I don't like crying in front of the kids.  
"Well…I'm gonna go check on the girls." I whisper.  
I'm lying, and everyone but the kids know it. Peeta knows what I'm really going to do. They all think I'm just going upstairs to be alone.  
No, I'm going upstairs to sob my eyes out. I set Brennan down and go upstairs, moving quicker than I usually would. Peeta doesn't hesitate to follow me, and the second the door clicks shut behind him, I'm hysterical in his arms. "I-Just w-w-wish I c-c-could h-ave k-kept t-t-them safer!" I sob. He carries me to the bed and lays down next to me, pulling me against him and tangling his fingers in my hair.  
"We all do, Katniss," he whispers.  
Aside from that, he's silent, just giving me the comfort that I need, making it's clear that he's here to talk when I need it.  
After nearly an hour, my face is just red and blotchy.  
"Where's Mama and Daddy Hallie?" I hear Bailee ask Hal. I get up and slip into Peeta and I's bathroom before they get in here because I don't want them to see me crying.  
"I don't know. Bailee, I'm sorry for breaking your blanket and bear. That was mean."  
"It's okay. I hope Mama and Daddy let you come out." Bailee says. I wash away the redness and blotchy ness and then just get in the shower. Halfway through, Bailee walks into the bathroom.  
It doesn't bother me that the shower is glass. She's seen me naked before, she's taken a shower with me before, there is no reason for me to freak out. "Mama, when can Hallie come out of her room?" she asks.  
"Go ask Daddy," I tell her.  
"I did ask Daddy and Daddy said to ask you." she says. I sigh.  
"Well then go get Daddy." I tell her. She walks off, leaving the door open. Peeta walks in the bathroom and shuts the door.  
"Yes?" he asks.  
"Do you think she can come out yet?" I ask as I wash the soap from my hair.  
"Yes," he says.  
"Alright, go let her out." I say.  
"Okay…" he says. He walks out, shutting the door behind himself.  
Five minutes later, Hallie walks into the bathroom with Peeta behind her. "Daddy said I can come out, is that true?" she asks.  
"Yes honey," I reply.  
"Okay," she leaves the door open, and Peeta closes it for me.

…..w…..

Tomorrow morning, everyone goes home and we leave for New York. It's a five hour drive, and when we get there, the kids are practically bubbling with excitement.  
"What do you want to do?" Bailee asks Brennan and Hallie.  
"I want to go to the park! And that thing for the bad thing that happened!" Hallie says.  
She means central park and the 9/11 memorial.  
"I want to go to Time's Square! Can we do all of it?" Bailee asks.  
"After we check on the restaurant and get a hotel." Peeta says.  
We get a hotel and ditch the luggage and then head by text to the restaurant.  
"Wait a second, Katniss? Peeta?" Macy looks down at the kids.  
"Hey Macy," I smile.  
"Oh my gosh!" She exclaims,  
"Hallie, Brennan, Bailee, this is Macy." I introduce her to them.  
"Hi Macy! I'm Hallie! I'm six!"  
"Hi Hallie, last time I saw you, you were just a little baby. Only about three months old." Macy smiles.  
"I'm Brennan! I'm six!"  
"And I'm Bailee! I'm six too! We're twins!"  
"You three are just adorable!" Macy says. Peeta and I start to move around and check on things, trusting Macy with the kids.  
Everything is in perfect condition, and I see a few people I notice but can't quiet put my finger on. I move back downstairs to the kids, and Peeta goes to the kitchen to deal with the stuff I don't understand. Someone walks past and nearly knocks Brennan over, but I steady him.  
Eventually, Peeta and I and the kids head out.  
"Let's go to the memorial first," I say. Hallie holds my right hand, Brennan is held by me and Bailee is held by Peeta.  
A wave of memories that haunted my nightmares for so long surges through me as I stare at the memorials. I read the names, and Peeta gasps and grabs my wrist.  
"What?" I ask. He points to a name, and my heart speeds up.  
Gary William Mellark.  
That's Peeta's Grandfather. He was the only person that never made it out. Peeta and I have stood here and searched both memorials for such a long time, but we never could find him. But it's right here.  
He worked inside of the twin towers themselves.  
"Who is that? What does it say?" Brennan peers at the name, but Peeta is just staring at me with a blank expression.  
"At least we know what happened to him, Peeta." I whisper.  
"I just need some time. I'll call you later." he sets down Bailee and walks away.  
"Mama, what's wrong with Daddy?" Hallie asks.  
"Well…you guys know how Daddy and I were affected by 9/11." I say. They nod. "The only person that didn't make it was Daddy's grandfather. He worked inside of the first tower. His name was Gary William Mellark. Daddy and I searched both of the monuments all the time to find his name, and we never could…but Daddy just found it, and he's upset. He'll meet up with us later." I say.  
"Oh…" Hallie says.  
They're way too young to possibly understand.  
The entire family actually searched and we never found the name.  
He's Mrs. Mellark's father. I pull out my phone and take a picture and then of where I'm at and send them to her.  
She deserves to know.  
Me: Peeta found it…he's pretty upset…thought you should know  
Mrs. Mellark: oh my god  
Me: I know  
After fifteen minutes, I join hands with the girls and order Brennan to stay in front of me as we head to central park.  
This is the last place I want to be right now after what I just saw, but I deal with it because the kids want to be here. "This is where Daddy and I got married, almost seven years ago." I say, standing in the exact spot that the alter was at. "I stood here." I back up. "And Daddy stood right where you are, Brennan." I smile.  
"Cool," Hallie whispers.  
We start to walk again, and I keep Brennan in front of me and keep Hallie and Bailee's hands in mine.  
"Right here is my favorite spot. This is where I used to sit whenever I came here." I sit down at my tree by the pond. The kids sit down with me. "Are you guys hungry?" I ask. They nod and I open my purse backpack and get out the lunchbox and hand them their sandwiches and their drinks.  
I'm not going to bother Peeta, because I know he needs some time, and I bugging him won't do anything but upset him more.  
I see the twin towers on fire in my head and I see the smoke billowing through the park. I hear screams and my family calling for Prim, Jo and I.  
I find myself trying to find Johanna and Prim, or Peeta or Rye or Graham or somebody I know. Johanna grasps my arm and Prim's, and we take off. A woman catches us, a police officer, and ignores out screaming.  
I didn't realize Peeta's grandfather was dying, or that my family was being forced to leave central park, without the officers caring that they had left behind children.  
That woman was Effie's sister. That's who got us to Effie, who raised Johanna and I till we were eighteen and took Prim home.  
"Mama, that lady is staring at you." Hallie whispers, tapping my arm. I look up to see a girl that looks to be nineteen staring at me. I narrow my eyes and then it clicks.  
It's Tori and Olive. My two students. They're whispering, glancing at me as if they're trying to decide it's my or not. I narrow my eyes. It has to be them, who else could it be? I notice Olive's brown eyes and red hair that always stays at her mid back, and Tori her blond hair that is perfectly straight and her clear blue eyes. Then I wave, and I see both of them smile as if I've just confirmed their suspicions. Then they walk over to me, and the kids all look at me in confusion. I stand up.  
"Your Ms. Everdeen, aren't you?" Olive asks.  
"I'm Ms. Everdeen if your Olive and Tori." I reply. They both smile and then hug me.  
"Who are you?" Brennan snaps.  
"Hallie, Brennan, Bailee, this is Olive and this is Tori. They were my students back when Hallie was a little baby, and a little while before I met Daddy again." I explain. Hallie stands up, flashing her underwear as her dress rides up. Olive and Tori just smile at her childness.  
"Hi! I'm Hallie!" she sticks out her tiny hand.  
"I'm Olive, nice to see you again Hallie." Olive smiles.  
"I'm Tori." They both shake Hallie's hand.  
The one thing Bailee doesn't like is strangers. She's very shy when it comes to people that aren't family. Brennan is, too. They both shy away behind my legs. I put one hand on Bai's head and one on Bren's.  
"You and your family have been all over the news. Is it true?" Olive whispers.  
"Yes," I sigh. Bailee reaches up to me and I lift her up. "How old are you girls now?" I ask.  
"I'm twenty." Olive smiles.  
"And I'm nineteen." Tori says. I let out a low whistle. Hallie sits down again.  
"Wow…last time I saw you two, you were fourteen and you were thirteen." I say.  
"Yeah…after you left…not to make you feel bad, but we got a horrible teacher. She hit Sophia."  
"Oh my gosh." I whisper.  
"Yeah, but uh…Sophia got pretty pi-mad, and she hit her back." Her eyes flicked to the kids. "She didn't even get in trouble." She laughs.  
"Wow…" I trail off.  
"Yeah,"  
"So are you guys in college now?" I ask.  
"Yeah…I'm studying law." Olive admits.  
"And I'm going to be a teacher." Tori says.  
Eventually, Bailee calms and sits down in the dirt again, and Brennan does the same.  
I keep chatting with them for almost two hours.  
"Mama!" Hallie eventually interrupts. "When is Daddy coming back?"  
"I don't know honey," I tell her. "Don't interrupt me, you say excuse me."  
"Sorry," she says. "Excuse me can I call him?" She asks.  
"No, just leave Daddy alone. He'll come back, I promise." I smile.  
Hallie starts to go through my phone and starts to play music for herself and for Hallie and Brennan.  
She starts to go through my pictures then, and I don't care because there isn't a single picture that is bad because I don't take bad pictures. I resume my conversation with Olive and Tori. "Mama your phone died." Hallie drops it back in my purse and I sigh because I need my phone for when Peeta calls.  
She sits back against the tree and begins to suck her thumb, Bailee is asleep on the ground and Brennan is soon to follow.  
"I'm sorry, do you guys have the time?" I ask. Olive looks at her phone.  
"It's four thirty." Olive says. I look down at the kids. They should have already had their nap, and they're getting cranky. Brennan and Hallie are snappy at each other and they end up waking up Bailee who starts crying. I end the conversation.  
"I'm really sorry but I need to take them back to the hotel. Maybe we can meet for lunch somewhere?" I ask.  
"Awesome," Olive grins. I give them my number and they hug me again and walk away. I gather my things and put them in my purse and lift up Bailee. She stops crying and goes back to sleep. I take Brennan's hand and make Hallie walk in front of me as I flag down a taxi. Hallie and Brennan continue to argue.  
"Stop fighting or we're going home and we're never coming back." I say. They silence, sticking their thumbs in their mouths. The taxi driver looks thankful that I made them silence. I pay him and give him a big tip because he put up with my kids, and then I take them up to the hotel and put them to bed as I charge up my phone. Six missed called, the most recent being from twenty minutes ago. I dial back Peeta, it having been five hours since he left.  
"Kat? I've been trying to reach you." he sighs.  
"I'm sorry. Hallie killed my battery. We went back to the hotel because Bailee fell asleep in the dirt and Brennan and Hal were fighting." I sigh.  
"Okay, I'm coming." he hangs up.

...9...

"My mother called." He practically spits in anger at me.  
"Okay..." I trail off.  
"She said your a spiteful asshole. She told me to divorce you and take the kids and move." He says. "Because you send her those two pictures."  
I swallow as pain contorts in my chest. I didn't expect her to get pissed. I expected her to be thankful I told her. "He's her father...don't you think she should know?" I whisper, panic flooding through my veins that he's going to listen to her.  
"Yes." He says.  
"And what did you say to her?" I whisper.  
"I told her she's a fucking asshole and she's never allowed to see your or any of our kids again. I told her she's not in my family anymore."  
"Your not leaving me, then?" I ask.  
"No." He hugs me and kisses my forehead. "I couldn't if I wanted to."  
"What happens if she calls me?" I ask.  
"She can't. I blocked her number."

...8...

We go to Times Square the next day and the kids have a field day. We let them though, because it's cute to watch. Hallie keeps us in some store for at least an hour.  
And then we pass the Disney store. All three of them start jumping up and down and squealing and tugging our hands. Peeta grins at me and I grin at him.  
"Let's go and eat." Peeta says. They stop jumping and their faces mask horror.  
"No! Let's go see Belle! Please! Mama, tell Daddy to let us go see Belle!" Hallie says.  
"Yeah Mama! That's not nice!" Brennan whines.  
"Please Mama? Tell Daddy." Bailee says.  
We really should have brought the stroller.  
"No, no, let's go eat." I say. Peeta and I are only playing with them.  
The three of them look up at us, sit down, cross their arms and start throwing a temper tantrum. I lift up Bailee and pull Hallie off the ground, and Peeta picks up Brennan and puts him on his shoulders.  
"We're just kidding, you three." Peeta tells them. We both laugh, but the kids look upset.

But only until we get into the store. It's _huge_ and Peeta and I make the big mistake of setting down Bailee and Brennan, and me letting go of Hallie's hand.

Because, suddenly, they're gone. Peeta and I split up, running around the store, trying to find one of them. There's ton of squealing, screaming children in here, and parents running around.

I see a girl that looks like Bailee from behind, but when I spin her to face me, it is not my daughter.

"Hey! Don't touch my kid!" A pissed off mother screams at me. I put my hands up.

"Sorry, I thought she was one of my kids." I say.

"One of them?" she repeats. "You're missing your kids?" she asks.

"Yes, I'm missing three, and I can't find any of them." I look around, honestly pancking. Last time I couldn't find my babies, I lost them for months.

"Oh hey, your that mother that had her kids get kidnapped with the rest of the kids in her family, aren't you?" she asks.

"Yes, but I found the kids and now they ran off again and I'm terrified that someone took them again." I'm panicking.

"I'll help you find your kids." She says. "What do they look like?"

I pull out my phone and show her a picture of all three of them.

"Okay, we meet back here when we've found one." She says.

"Okay, my husband is looking too. If he yells at you just tell him that Katniss said you could help." I tell her.

"Okay," she replies.

We split up and start to search for the kids. After an hour I see Brennan climbing up a shelf, getting yelled at by an employee. He's trying to get to a huge mickey mouse all the way up at the very high ceiling. "Brennan!" I scold. "Get down here!" he looks down at me and grins.

"No Mama!" he continues to climb, and I just wait, because he's going to fall.

"Miss, you need to get your son down from there." A worker says behind me.

"Well what do you want me to do? Climb up there after him?" I demand. "Brennan Drew Mellark, get down from there!"

And that's when it happens. He loses his footing and falls. I don't manage to catch him, and he lands right on his right leg before he fully falls.

He starts _screaming_ hysterically. His voice echoes around the huge store, and a ton of people come up behind us. I kneel down next to him. "Brennan," I help him sit up. He keeps screaming though, and he pushes me away when I try to pick him up.

"What happened, Mama?" Hallie asks. Peeta comes up behind me, and the lady comes up behind him with Bailee.

"Brennan, you have to let me pick you up honey," I tell him. He shakes his head over and over and over again. Peeta puts his hand on my shoulder. I stand up and move out of his way and he lifts up Brennan, making his screams increase. He shifts him so he isn't touching his right leg at all. I grab Hallie and take Bailee from the lady. "Thank you," I say. She nods.

…s…

We sit in Brennan's hospital room.

"Is Brennan dead Mama?" Bailee whispers. He's knocked out as we wait for the doctor.

"No honey," I whisper. I called my mother and she said he probably broke it. She said that Mrs. Mellark is being ridiculous and that I did the right thing by telling her and she said that she and Daddy told her to leave.

The doctor finally enters the room, and I retell the story of what happened.

"How high would you say he was when he fell?" he asks.

"Twenty feet, probably." I say. "Maybe fifteen or seventeen, somewhere around there."

"Well…then I'm going to take a wild guess and say he broke it, let's do an X-Ray though." He says.

He does an X-Ray, and it's very clear he broke it.

When Brennan wakes, the doctor asks what his favorite color is. "I like blue," he smiles.

The doctor puts on a blue cast.

…s…

"Oh please Mama!" Brennan begs.

"Yeah, please Daddy? It's only one night!" Hallie adds.

"Only one!" Bailee says.

They want to sleep over at Gale's with Justin. Peeta _does not_ want the girls to go.

"Fine," Peeta sighs. "Let's go,"

…..s…..

"So…" I begin. "We're alone for the first time in six years." I say.

It is true. We never get to be alone because we like to have the kids with us, but now we're completely alone, the doors and windows are locked and there isn't a chance in hell that someone is going to show up.

"We are indeed." He says, pushing me against the wall. "We are _very _alone."

We don't get to have sex anymore, not nearly as much as we'd like. And when we do, it's in the shower, and it's getting old. We're not that _old_, only thirty two.

He places his hands on my cheeks and brushes his thumbs across my cheek bones. "And I plan on making the most of it. So you are going to do as I say, and only as I say, understand?" he asks. I swallow and bite my lip. He raises his eyebrows and I nod. "Good, come here." He pulls me upstairs and into our bathroom. Then he shuts the door and closes me in here.

"Peeta, what the hell?" I look around, and see that the tub is steaming with a bubble bath, and it smells strongly on flowers in here. I look into the tub to see that it's a bubble bath with dried flowers.

He wants me to take a bath?

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

I sigh and shed my clothes and lower myself in the tub.

He doesn't come back to check on me.

PEETA'S POV

I know she's probably confused, but I'm going to make the best of the only night we'll probably ever get alone again until the kids are older.

After I close her into the bathroom, I put a towel in the dryer to warm it up really good and then I sit outside the bathroom door and wait.

When the water starts to drain, I get the hot towel from the dryer and walk into the bathroom, taking the towel she has in her hand out of her hand and wrapping her in the warm towel. She stares at me for a really long time.

KATNISS'S POV

I don't understand what he's doing, but I like it a lot. The towel is warm and fluffy and cozy.

"I love you, you know that, right?" he whispers, his lips creeping closer to mine.

"I know. I love you too." I whisper.

He puts me right back in the tub, but this time, he comes with me.

…s…

I'm very dazed when I wake up in the morning.

How many times was that?

I think it was four or six in the tub, and then like…ten in bed?

I'm lying directly on top of him, and we're both completely naked.

"I love you," he kisses my forehead and my cheeks and then my lips.

"I love you too," I mumble, dropping my head back onto his shoulder.

"Well, well, well," Johanna snickers, leaning against the doorframe.

I'm not bothered about the fact that we're both naked, and I doubt Peeta is either. This is the third time she's showed up.

The first time we were in the shower and in action. She was just like "have fun" and then she left.

The second, we were in the shower again. She just snickered and walked away.

And now we're pancaked together. "Did you have a nice _sleep_?" she teases.

"Fuck off, Jo." I snap.

"Oh, well I brought your kids home. They're downstairs, actually." She smirks and takes a long drag of her coffee.

"Let's go see Mama and Daddy!" Hallie squeals.

"Dammit! Shut the door!" I hiss at her. She laughs and slams it, and I spring up and punch the lock. Peeta pulls on boxers and sweats and I pull on underwear, a bra and one of his t-shirts, which is all I wear in the morning. I strip the bed of the sheets because they need washed now, and then I rake a brush through my hair and unlock the door and drag the sheets out of the bedroom and downstairs to the laundry room. They must have stopped in their bedrooms or something. I start the wash.

"Hi Mama!" Hallie jumps into my arms. "I missed you!"

"Hi Hal, did you have fun?"

"Yeah! We played all sorts of game and stuff! We had to leave early and Mr. Hawthorne tried to call but nobody answered. He called Auntie Jo Jo and she came and took us home." She grins a cheesy smile.

I didn't even hear the phone ring.

"They were probably still _asleep_." Johanna says. I set down Hallie and flick off Johanna when the kids aren't looking.

We actually were still asleep. Brennan has to be carried everywhere, and he's sitting on the couch and I know Johanna carried him in the house.

"Thanks Jo," I say seriously.

"Oh, you're welcome. Gale was going to bring the kids home. I said I would do it." She clearly was saving my ass, and Peeta's.

I hate her but love her so much.


	5. Chapter 5

Three weeks later, when the kids are at summer school for the first day, my Mama calls me.

"Hey Mam-"

"Turn on ABC Action News!" she cuts me off frantically.

"Why?" I ask, flicking the TV on. Peeta walks in from the kitchen. I can hear my frantic family on the other end, and Finnick, Annie, Johanna, Prim and Alex run into the house, and Gale and Madge.

"Brainless, but on ABC." Johanna gasps as Dustin runs in behind her. I flick the channel to ABC.

"Andrew Mellark, Jessica Mellark and Megan Mellark found dead in a ditch very early this morning. If I'm correct Caesar, these are the three that kidnapped all those children before Katniss Mellark found them, right?"

"Correct Claudius, now, we found who did it, because they were murdered. It was these two girls right here."

Two photos of two girls pop up. I drop the phone and clutch the couch.

Because I know those two girls. Those two girls. They're Olive and Tori.

"Judges are trying to put them on trial. Chances are very high that they're getting the death penalty. They're being held in Montana State Prison. They said 'Ms. Everdeen is the best. Those bastards need to learn to keep their hands off the sweetest children in the world.' Now folks, the trial start and finishes tomorrow. It begins at six in the morning and ends at five in the evening and is open to the public."

"Now next up, we'll go to David with this week's forecast!"

Oh my god.

Tori and Olive are in prison for _murdering_ the people that kidnapped my children and my family.

And they might get the death penalty.

No. This can't happen.

I'm going to go and I'm going to object.

…s….

I know I'll probably end up in jail. I snuck out and I know the trial is on TV. I know my family is going berserk.

I can't let Tori and Olive get the death penalty.

I know I'm going to jail for this, but I don't care. I storm into the courthouse and push through the people that are trying to get into the courtroom.

It's four fifty nine.

I walk into the courtroom and see it's packed.

First of all, I'm pissed off that they're in trouble for killing kidnappers, second I'm pissed that people aren't sticking up for them.

And I'm going to do something about it.

"I hereby decreed that Olive Mary Pother and Tori Elisabeth Morgan are to get the death penali-"

"No!" I shout, shoving a ton of people out of the way. The judge cuts off, the camera train on me so does everyone else. Tori and Olive's eyes go wide. Haymitch always said I could be a debater. My entire family is at my house right now, watching this.

PEETA'S POV

"Oh my god! What the hell is she doing!" Mrs. Everdeen shouts. I drop my head into my hands.

"Why is Mama there Daddy? What's going on?" Hallie demands.

"She's lost it. She's going to jail for this." I mutter.

"No she isn't. That girl is the best debater in the entire fucking world. She's coming right home and those girls are going back to their families. I bet my life on it."

KATNISS'S POV

"Excuse me miss, who are you? You can't just walk in here and-"

"I'm Katniss Mellark. Don't hurt those girls." I cut him off. People start to mutter uncomfortably.

"And why shouldn't I? They killed three people-"

"Yes, the three assholes the kidnapped not only my three children, but all of the other children in my family. Someone was going to murder them someday. If I hadn't been in a rush when I got my kids back, I would've been the one to do it. Why are you going to give two girls that are still in college the death penality for killing three kidnappers? Does that make any sense?"

I feel handcuffs clasped around my wrists. "Your under arrest."

They're trying to scare me. "Don't think I don't know your stupid little games. Go ahead, arrest me. I don't care. Leave those girls alone. They got rid of three criminals that were on the top of the FBI list and now you want to kill them? Why did you a _favor_. They did everyone a favor. I don't care if you give me the death penalty for this, just leave those girls alone. They didn't do a thing. I've know Olive since she was thirteen and the same with Tori. They wouldn't hurt anyone unless they had a reason, and I'd say murdering three criminals on the FBI list is a good damn reason."

The judge is silent for a very, very long time. "Take her away," he says. The cop starts to pull me, but I just laugh.

"I believe you have some rights you _didn't read_." I say. He stops moving and just freezes.

The bitch didn't read my Miranda rights, so they can't arrest me.

"Wait!" someone stands up. "She's right! She has to have her Miranda rights read! Don't arrest her! She has three kids to go home to! And don't kill those people! They were ridding the world of criminals!"

Everyone starts to protest, "Order in the court!" The judge shouts. Everyone goes silent, and the judge glares me at, and I glare right back.

HAYMITCH'S POV

We all sit, tense, watching at the judge and Katniss have a stare down. She can't be arrested now, becaue the Miranda rights weren't read. Now everyone is protesting and I have a feeling this is going to end in Sweetheart's favor.

KATNISS'S POV

"Let her go," he judge says. The cuffs are taken off of me, and I just stand there and stare at him, enough to make him uncomfortable enough to crack.

He looks at Olive and Tori, who look so innocent.

"She's just trying to do what's right. You have kids, sir. Imagine if they were kidnapped, and someone killed the kidnappers and got the death penalty for it. You would be right where Katniss Mellark is now." Someone says quietly. The judge looks at the person, and then at me.

"Come on sir, these girls have hardly had a chance to live. Don't end their life for killing people who did the wrong thing." I speak up.

He sighs and is silent for a very long time. "I hereby decreed that Olive Mary Pother and Tori Elisabeth Morgan as free citizens of the United States of America with cleared records. Uncuff them." The place fills with cheers and screams of joy. Tori and Olive are uncuffed, and they race towards me and hug me, both of them crying.

"Thank you!" Olive gasps.

"Yeah, yeah, let's get the hell out of here." I turn around and walk off, the two of them following me. "Now, I only brought money for food and gas, and I don't have enough for three plane tickets, so we're going to have to drive." I get in my Jeep and call Peeta as I set for the highway with Olive and Tori.

"You…what the hell is wrong with you!" he's mad at me, and I don't even care.

"Are you seriously pissed off at me right now? They _killed _the people that hurt our children and then almost got the death penalty for it!"

He's silent for a very long time. "Your right. I'm sorry. Areyou okay though, what are you doing? Your not under arrest, are you?"

"No, I'm driving home." I tell him. I can hear Haymitch in the background shouting about how I need to join a debate team and how I'm the best debater.

I can hear the kids in the background, crying, secreaming for Mama. "I have to go," he hangs up. Two seconds later I get a text from him.

Baby: _I love you_

Me: _I love you too_

"So how long have you been locked in that jail?" I ask.

"A week…" Olive says.

"And you had shit for food?" I ask.

"Yes," Tori says. I pull into a Taco Bell.


	6. Chapter 6

The drive back takes a week instead of a couple of days this time because I have to stop in New York City to drop of the girls. Olive and Tori say that their family disowned them and they want to move to Vermont. So I stop in New York City and help them pack their things. Peeta tells me that the kids aren't doing so well and they think I'm dead and they refuse to sleep or anything. He says they won't bathe and they keep having nightmares. Olive and Tori move in together with Olive's son and they're getting an apartment in Vermont.  
When I see the "Welcome to Derby, Vermont" sign, I'm so happy.  
"Want me to drop you off somewhere?" I ask  
"You don't have to. We can go from your house." Tori says.  
So I head to my house. It's five in the afternoon. When I walk in the front door, the family is trying to get Bailee to speak. They're sitting on the couch, side by side, staring blankly at the wall. I kiss all three of their hands from behind, and then when I move in front of them, the three of them burst into sobs and tackle me to the floor, actually knocking me down. They have hollows under their eyes, they look dirty and unhealthy, their hair is greasy and their breath stinks.  
"Hey," I stop them. "Go take a bath. All of you." I order them.  
"Come with us!" Brennan begs. "Please Mama!"  
"Yeah, we can take a bath together!" Hallie begs.  
"Fine, let's go." I get up and head upstairs, carrying Brennan with me since he can't walk. His cast is waterproof so it'll be fine. I start the tub, in my tub since it's the biggest one, and I help them strip and put them in the water. I help them wash and dress, and make them brush their teeth and hair, and then I force them to eat.  
"I'm not hungry. I don't want to eat." Hallie complains.  
"Well sometimes in life you have to do things you don't want to do. Now eat or you're going in your room for the day." She makes a pouty face, but keeps eating anyways.  
I clean up their mess after making them wash their hands, and then I put them to sleep in me and Peeta's bed, I take a shower and take care of myself first.  
When I'm done, I go downstairs and right into Peeta's open arms. Olive and Tori must have left. "You need to sleep," he whispers.  
"I don't want to." I mumble. He tilts my head up so my chin is on his chest and I'm staring up at him.  
"Well sometimes in life you have to do things you don't want to do." He whispers.

…..s…..

I wake up alone. I can hear the shower, and it's still dark. It's three in the morning.  
I know Peeta moved the kids to their beds.  
I get up and knock on the door of the bathroom.  
"What?"  
That's Peeta. I walk into the bathroom.  
"Why are you knocking?" He asks.  
"Because I didn't know it was you in here." I say, forcing my eyes to stay on his.  
"Well..." He shrugs and shuts off the water, wrapping a towel around his waist. All I'm in is a thin pair of panties and one of his shirts without a bra.  
He changed my clothes too, then.  
"I thought you were still asleep." He says as he begins to dry his hair.  
"Well I'm not..." I stare at him, my eyes drifting to his abs. I move to the bedroom and lock the door. He goes to get himself boxers, but I grab his wrist and push him towards the bed. "The kids are in bed. The door is locked." I mumble.  
"So?" He asks.  
"So?" I kiss him, and he laughs.  
"Oh." He mumbles.


	7. Chapter 7

**Y'all ever heard of the TV show naked and afraid?****  
****Because I have. And I have four people in this story that are going to do it.****  
**

I'm resting on the couch under the fan. The AC is broken and it's summer and I'm sweating so bad that I've stuck to nothing but a very short pair of shorts and a sports bra. Hallie just walks around in her panties, as does Bailee. Brennan and Peeta wear shorts. "It's hot Mama!" Hallie complains. I turn the fan towards the kids and they all sit, silent.  
"Babe!" I shout. The heat is making us bitter and irritable.  
"What?" He comes up from the basement.  
"Can you please call someone on the air." I ask.  
"Okay," he goes back to the basement, and I get up and go into the kitchen and get ice cold lemonade. I get a glass for everyone and pass them around, reviving a kiss from Peeta as a thank you since he's on the phone. My lips are sweaty and hot, but so are mine. I go back upstairs and lay back down on the couch.  
Someone knocks loudly on the front door and I rise and pull it open.  
It's a man and a women and Finnick and Johanna.  
"I step aside, confused. Finn and Jo have huge grins on their faces. I wipe a bead of sweat off my forehead.  
"Sorry. That AC broke." I say. It's a hundred and five degrees outside.  
"It's alright. Is your husband home?" The lady asks.  
"Yeah, just a second." I go down to the basement where Peeta is just getting off the phone. "Some girl and some guy is here with Jo and Finn and they want you." I say. He grabs a towel and wipes some sweat off his body and follows me upstairs.  
"We are Alexis and Darren. Have you ever seen the television show Naked and Afraid?" The man asks. Hallie giggles and whispers something to Bailee and Brennan, and the three of them burst into giggles.  
I look at Peeta.  
"Yeah...we used to watch that show all the time." Peeta says, slinging his at around my shoulder.  
It's like survivor or but your paired with someone and you spend twenty one days somewhere with your partner and your completely naked. They blur out everything but your butt.  
"In four days, a new round will start. The people will be home on September first. We have Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason as one of the teams, and we would like you two as the other team. Are you interested?"  
I look to Peeta, and he looks to me.  
"Annie will watch the kids," Finnick interjects. "She's going to take care of everything with them. You'll get home on Hal's birthday. Your not missing anything."  
I look to Peeta.  
Peeta and I will be paired up in the woods together and Finnick and Johanna will be somewhere else. We'll be completely alone without a single scrap of clothing. Well not alone but...basically alone.  
"Can we have a minute?" Peeta asks. They nod. He grabs my elbow and pulls me to the kitchen. "Let's do it." He whispers.  
"But the kids..."  
"Annie is watching them. They'll be fine. I say we do it."  
I look at him for a long time.  
Twenty one days. Alone with Peeta. Naked.  
"Okay."  
No sex though. We can't have sex.  
"Okay?" He repeats.  
"Okay." I nod.  
We go back to the living room. "Okay." He says.

...9...

We had a hard time explaining to the kids what was going on. We informed the rest of the family and they excited and they're going to watch every minute of it.  
Now we're on a plane being flown somewhere.  
We don't know where.  
They take us to a hotel when we get there. I stay close by Peeta.  
"Okay, this is your hotel room. Be ready at six tomorrow morning to be evaluated. Then we will take you to your destination."  
"What if something goes wrong when we're out there?" I demand. He just shrugs. "Good luck."  
He walks away.  
I look to Peeta, who just laughs and pulls me into the room.  
"Okay, how much experience have you got?" He asks.  
"Not much. Well...I know a bit. After Jo, Prim and I four our parents in Kentucky, Daddy taught me a lot. I know quite a bit about plants and I know how to start a fire and I can skin animals. And since you make me do that hobby, I can throw a decliner knife and kill almost everything with a bow."  
"Alright...I can get some fish because, as you know, I lived on the beach in California. Dad, Rye and Graham taught me to fish without a rod."  
Then we spend the rest of the night, studying everything there is to know. We build up strength with some weights I find in the closet.  
"I think we've got a good chance." I say.  
"Me too. Let's go to bed before we pass out from exhaustion."

...9...

They take us in one by one and evaluate us.  
And of course I go first.  
I crack my neck and knuckles and rise and walk right into the room.  
They weight me after I strip down naked and they ask me all sorts if questions. They give me a seven point five and refuse to let me put my clothes back on. I go back to the room.  
"They make you get naked?" Finnick asks. None of them speak about being uncomfortable about it.  
"No." I say sarcastically. Johanna snickers. They call her name and I sit back down.  
I calmly wait as they go through their training.  
"Okay, you guys can make on phone call each."  
I call Annie and ask to talk to the kids.  
"Mama when are you gonna be on the TV?" Brennan asks.  
"I don't know honey. I don't know." I say.  
"Okay well I love you bye!" Hallie hangs up.  
She needs to learn how to properly talk on the phone. I make a mental note to teach her when I get home and then hand the phone to Peeta. He too, calls the kids.  
Johanna called Dustin and Finn calls Annie and talks to her and his kids.  
We all are told to drop our robes and the they put Peeta and I on one helicopter and Finn and Jo on another.  
"This is live, right?" I ask.  
"Yes." Peeta replies. I lean against him and wait as we fly off someplace.

They drop us in the middle of the rainforest and we turn on the camera. I know it's broadcasting us on TV. It's blurring us out, I hope.  
Peeta and I look around.  
"Rainforest?" He suggests.  
"I'm gonna say yes..." I look up into the trees and don't see anything pleasuring.  
"We should find water." He says.  
"I'll...I'm gonna climb this tree." I point at a very tall tree right next to us. He sets the camera down on the rock and stares at me.  
"Are you sure?" He asks.  
"It's the best way to see what we're dealing with." I reply. I grab onto the nearest branch and pull myself up into the tree as I climb higher and higher.  
I see the ocean not far from here, and on the other side is a river.  
If there's a waterfall, we can drink right from it.  
"Any luck?" He shouts up to me. I start to climb down.  
"There's a river that way." I point behind him. "And I'd say...two miles that way is the ocean." I say.  
"How far is the river?" He asks.  
"Far. Probably twenty miles or so." I reply.  
"Let's see...it takes about a half hour to walk a mile, so thirty times twenty is..." We do some mental math. "600," we both start laughing.  
"Okay, I walked ten miles with my Dad once, and it took about five hours. So I'm going to estimate and say about ten hours." I reply.  
"Okay...either two hours that way, towards the beach, or ten hours that way, towards the river." He points in either direction. "What do you say we do?"  
We're being recorded right now, or Johanna and Finnick.  
I don't know who, but I'm not gonna act bad at any point in front of the world.  
"Well..." I sigh. "We need water. The ocean is just going to make us more thirsty. We can get really dehydrated in ten hours in this sun, and it's going to be getting dark by the time we get to the river, but it will be worth it if we find a waterfall. We can drink right from there, there's fish. I say we take the risk and go the ten hours towards the river. What do you think?" I ask.  
"I think your logic makes sense. I say we go towards the river." He says. I look behind me again, and climb back up the tree to make sure we're going the right way.  
"Alright Peeta, this way." I say. He grabs the camera and we head towards the river.  
"What time do you say it is?" He asks.  
I look up at the sun, and find it's positioned in the middle of the sky.  
"Shit," I swear, knowing it's getting censored out. "It's three. In ten hours it will be one in the morning. We can't wander the forest late at night." I say.  
"So we go to the beach and make a shelter and head out early in the morning." He says.  
"Or..." I eye the bamboo tree and look around. I find a sharp rock and stet to beat at the tree. "Or we head in deeper towards the river, make a shelter halfway there, and get water out of the trees." I say.  
"Here, let me." He takes the rock from my hand and gives me the camera. I poise it on him as he gets some water out of the tree. He filled a leaf and hands it to me, and fills another for himself. We fill up on water and head towards the river.

...9...

I sigh loudly because my feet are killing me. "Shit," I swear, stopping to pull a thorn out of my bleeding heel.  
"I say we get some water and take a small break." He says.  
"If you insist," I say. He smirks. I get up and get the water from the tree, insisting that it's my turn, since he did it last time. Then I fill the leaves and hand him one and drink the other.  
I pour water all over myself and he does the same.  
"Let's wraps your heel before it gets infected."  
"I'm okay," I brush him off.  
"No Katniss, it's not time to be stubborn. Let's wrap your heel." He says.  
"Alright." I sigh. He strips a plant of its leaf and we both check it to make sure it's not poisonous or anything. I sit in the dirt and he puts my heel on his leg and wraps it in the leaf and gets some bamboo off the tree and ties it on.  
"Okay," he pulls me up. "Let's go."  
We continue to head in the same direction, mostly in a comfortable silence, making small conversation every now and then.  
But for the most part, we are silent.  
I begin to get hungry though, and I hear his stomach growel.  
"Alright, stop." I say. I take the sharp rock and grab a stick, sitting down on a log. He sits next to me and watches as I sharpen a stick into a knife.  
"You should make a bow." He says.  
"I'll try..." I reply.

...9...

Soon enough, I've got a ton of failed bows and give up. "Let's make camp here." I say.  
"How close are we to the river?" He asks.  
I look at the sky and see it's six and we only have about an hour of sunlight left. "I'm gonna take a guess. We started at three and it's six. A half hour is one mile so...fourteen miles?" I climb the nearest tree. "It looks to be about fourteen miles!" I shout down to him as I climb back down from the tree.  
"Alright. Let's put that knife and rock to good use." He says.  
We start to cut up some bamboo and begin to make a teepee thing. I get large leaves and we cover them and make one of the leaves a door. We cover the floor in leaves.  
"I hope Hallie, Brennan and Bailee know that-" I look right into the camera. "That Auntie Annie is going to give us every detail of everything you do. If you act up, Mama and daddy are gonna did out. And your going to be in trouble." I warn.  
"And I hope Annie knows that they're not allowed soda every day. Just once a week. I hope she knows that they have to eat their vegetables."  
"And that Bailee can't sleep without her baby blanket and her bear." I add.  
"And that we're actually on camera right now and we're not talking to nobody." Peeta says. We start laughing.  
"And I hope they know we love them very much." I add.  
"Very, very much." Peeta adds.  
"And that Annie needs to make sure they brush their teeth for two minutes straight." I add.  
"Oh shit. We forgot about Brennan's doctors appointment on the twentieth to get his cast off!"  
"Fuck." I hiss.  
He sighs.

...9...

It's cold at night. Way too cold. The camera is off because we're "sleeping"  
"It's freezing." I whisper.  
"I know." He pulls me closer. It starts pouring icy water.  
I end up on top of him and he rubs my back all over in an attempt to keep me warm.

...9...

"We'll...it's morning now." Peeta films the area. "It's really cold at night, but we're good."  
I have a large leaf wrapped around my torso and another around my crotch and Peeta has one around his crotch.  
"I wonder where Johanna and Finnick are." I say.  
I'm lightheaded because I'm hungry. We start to trek towards the river again. I trip as we head downhill and start to roll, getting faster and faster. It saves me a lot, but it isn't pleasant. I get cuts all over. Peeta runs after me. After almost five minutes of rolling, my body collides with a tree, forcing me to stop. I throw up what little I have in my stomach.  
"Katniss, honey are you okay?" Peeta asks.  
"Um...yes." I get up and wipe off my mouth with a leaf. I put my hand on the trunk for a moment and wait for the dizziness to pass. "Okay," I take a deep breath, "I think I'm good. Let's go."  
"Are you sure?" He asks.  
"I'm sure," I turn around and start going downhill again. It's not me who trips this time. It's Peeta. He takes the camera with him, all the way to the bottom of the hill. It's so far down that I can hardly see him. I start to run down, and then I lose my footing and fall again.  
I roll right into him, then over him, and keep rolling down. You couldn't even tell this was a hill. I realize he must have caught himself. He's laughing when he catches up to me. "Well...first full day and we look like total idiots, don't we." He says. I laugh loudly because it's so true.  
"Yes, we do. But on the bright side, I hear water. We saved ourselves hours."  
"I don't hear anything." He frowns.  
"Trust me. There's water nearby." I tell him as I force myself to rise. I head down further and push some vines out of my way.  
And I am met with a river. I have the sharp rock in one hand and the knife I made last night in the other.

JOHANNAS POV

We should head towards the extraction point and just stay there." I insist.  
"Why? We have plenty of time." I just sigh in irritation and remain silent.

**Okay so I'm starting another story but it's going to be Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. **

**THAT DOES NOT MEAN I WON'T WORK ON THIS TILL!**


	8. Chapter 8

KATNISS'S POV

"Let's try and get some food or something. I'm starving." Peeta says.  
"Me too," I sigh.  
"Hey look, a blue fr-" He reaches for a frog, and I cry out, put my hand on his stomach and push him back from the frog  
"No!" I gasp, instantly recognizing it.  
"What? It's just a frog Katniss, it's only-" he says  
"Only a Poison Arrow Frog." I say. We're knee deep in the river and there's a poison arrow frog not three feet from me. I see the eyes of a gator not ten feet from me. "Peeta," I begin quietly, "Let's walk on land, next to the river. I don't like this at all." I say.  
"It's just one frog Katniss," He insists.  
"And just a gator, oh and look, there's a snake, right there!" I point above him in a tree, where a Boa Constrictor sits. "Let's go, out of the water. Now." He knows I'm not taking no for an answer. I grab his hand and pull him out of the river. "Let's keep going that way." I point down the river, further from the beach.  
"Okay," he puts his hand on the small of my back. I walk forwards. "How do you know so much about rainforests when you grew up in New York City?" he asks.  
"Well…when I was a teenager, I used to lock myself in my room when I was in that stage where you just want to be alone. What do you think I did, stare at the wall?" I laugh. "I Googled all kinds of stuff. I got interested in wildlife and…" I shrug. "I guess I picked up a few things. You would think you would know that, considering we're married with three kids." I smile at him over my shoulder.  
"So what's this then?" he points at a leaf.  
"That…" I act like I'm inspecting it as I pick it up. He looks intrigued. "Is a leaf," I throw it at him and get his face.  
"Hey!" he exclaims, grinning. "That was very nice."  
"Well…don't ask stupid questions. It's a leaf, not a being with blood and a heartbeat." I laugh.  
"Fine then, what's that?" he points into the distance. I follow his finger.  
"What's what? I don't see anything." He points the camera at something and turns my head. "That. There, see it? The orange thing, with the black dots. Can't you see it, Kat? It's staring right at us with it's teeth barred." He says. My eyes lock with the animal, my heartrace picks up and my blood thunders in my ears.

HAYMITCH'S POV  
"Oh god," Lillian moans and buries her head in her hands.  
"That…that is a jaguar." Katniss whispers to Peeta. "Their territory range an be up to ten square miles. And we're less than a mile away. And it sees us."  
"Oh fuck," Annie drops her glass of water. We all went to Vermont anyways.  
"What's gonna happen to Mama and Daddy?" Bailee whispers, sucking her thumb with her blanket in her mouth. Brennan, Bailee and Haille just woke from their naps.  
Surely they have someone there with them? They wouldn't just leave them there to die, right?  
Baille starts crying, and Lillian opens her arms for her granddaughter.  
"When is Mama and Daddy gonna come home?" Hallie asks, sitting down in my lap.  
"Soon," I say. I may be bitter and rude, but I love these kids like I love my own. Brennan climbs into Ethan's lap (Kat's Dad, Lillian is her Mom)  
And then, it cuts to commercial, making all of us shout in protest.  
KATNISS'S POV

My only thought is that Annie got the kids away from the TV.  
My eyes search wildly for anything. A tree to climb, a branch, something to get us an escape.  
"A jaguar?" he blurts loudly. It growls.  
"Peeta, shut the fuck up." I snarl under my breath. I look at the tree next to me, and decide to give it a shot. "You trust me, right?" I whisper.  
"Yes," he whispers back. I slowly start to climb the tree. The jaguar lunges towards Peeta and I grab his wrist, not caring that he drops the camera as I pull him into the tree and teaching him to climb, both of u shouting at one another in panic as the jaguar snarls and lunges at the tree, trying to catch one of us.

HAYMITCH'S POV

The show doesn't come back on. Instead, ABC action news does. "We have lost connection with Katniss Mellark and Peeta Mellark's camera. We don't know what has happened. We can get noise, and this is what we hear."  
The screen goes to that stupid black and white fuzzy shit you get when you have no cable on the screen.  
"No Peeta, you fucking idiot, that branch, if you grab that one, it'll break and you'll fall and that fucking jaguar will have a nice tasty dinner tonight!"  
I'm surprised they're not censoring out the words.  
"I'm not a fucking idiot!" he snaps back.  
"Just shut it and grab onto that branc-Peeta!" her voice fills with terror and I hear a cracking noise.

KATNISS'S POV

"Are you hard of hearing! I said that one!" I have his hand, and he's hanging in the air.

JOHANNA'S POV

"Hear that?" Finnick asks me.  
"Hear what?" I repeat.  
"That growling. I hear two people screaming and-"

HAYMITCH'S POV

It suddenly switches from Sweetheart and Peeta to Johanna and Finnick.  
"It sounds like Brainless and Loverboy!" Johanna exclaims. Their camera works perfectly fine.

JOHANNA'S POV  
"Stop fucking moving or I'm going to end up dropping you and your going to die!" Brainless screams at Loverboy. I shove some vines out of my way and am met with the river, and right on the other side, there is a Jaguar clawing at the tree they're in, Katniss in the tree, holding onto Peeta's wrist as he dangles. It's on camera right now. "PEETA STOP MOVING!" she screams at him.  
'I'M TRYING!" he screams right back at her.

HAYMITCH'S POV

Hallie, Brennan and Bailee may be young, but they can understand, and they get that something isn't right and their parents are in danger. "BRAINLESS! HOLD ON!" Johanna shouts. Katniss looks up and her face floods with relief. The three children start crying, almost at the same time.

FINNICK'S POV

"We need to kill it." Johanna cracks her neck and pulls a vine from a tree. "Let's hope I live." She ties a slip knot and walks into the river and onto the other side.  
She's fucking retarted. She climbs into a tree close to Katniss and Peeta's and drops the rope and hooks it around the jaguars neck.  
"Johanna! Do you have a fucking death wish!" Peeta shouts.  
"Shut up loverboy. I'm saving your ass." Johanna ties the vine around her waist and drops from the tree, dangling the tiger by the neck.  
"Oh my god, that is so sad! Your choking it, Johanna!" Katniss says.  
"So? Why do you care?"  
"You can let me go now." Peeta says. Katniss releases Peeta and jumps from the tree.  
"You suppose this piece of shit still works?" Johanna kicks the camera.  
"Wellif it did, it doesn't now." Peeta says. He turns to Katniss. "Okay?" he asks. She hugs him.  
"Yes. Don't do that again."

HAYMITCH'S POV

"She is most defiantly your daughter." Prim says to me. I grin at the fact that my daughter just strangled a jaguar with a vine.  
"Is Mama and Daddy okay, uncle?" Hallie asks me.  
"Your mother and father are fine sweetie, see?" I point to the screen.

JOHANNA'S POV

"So…I'm fucking hungry. Have you eaten, because we haven't." I say.

KATNISS'S POV

"No, we haven't." I say.  
"Have you drunken? We haven't." Finn says.  
"Oh yeah," I pick up the sharp rock and beat it into a bamboo tree. Water pours out and I fill four leaves.  
"Suppose we find a waterfall. Then we should go and get some food." Peeta says.  
"Agreed, lets go."

…..s…..

I didn't think food would be such a problem. We found a waterfall, and it's been over forty eight hours since we ate. We're all starving and winded.  
"If I just had a bow." I run water over my face and wad into the lake, soak myself and lay back down next to Peeta on my leaf.  
"If you need a bow to get us some food, Johanna'll make you a bow. I'm going to take advantage of growing up from age eleven on a fishing boat and I'm going to get us some fish." Finnick rises. "Do we have some sort of wire?" he asks.  
"No. Try to use the shitty camera." Johanna says.  
"I'll start a fire. We should've done that last night." I sit up and gather wood and stuff, taking a piece of the camera that's go metal and a rock and start to try and make a fire. When that fails, I get a piece of wood, put some moss near it, get a stick and start to rub it quickly back and forth.  
"Let's get some music going." Johanna says.  
"We can't." I roll my eyes at her.  
"You've got a good singing voice Kat, use it." Peeta says.  
"Well what should in sing?" I demand as I rub the stick faster. It's beginning to smoke. I move my hands down some.  
"Sing some Demi. Oh, she's got a good voice. Sing that song about love and the US." Jo says.  
"Um…" I don't remember any Demi. Who's Demi. I don't ask though, but I'm taken back in time to me asking Hallie and Baille what they wanted for Christmas when they were four.

_"What do you want for Christmas, my beautiful girls?" I ask, tying off the braid in Bailee's blonde curls as I begin to brush Hal's hair.__  
__"I want a Demi album Mama!" Hallie says.__  
__"Demi? Who is that, honey?" I ask.__  
__"Demi Lovato Mama! That girl on Disney! In that movie with the boys! Member she sings that song you like on the radio? Heart tack?" Bailee asks.__  
__"Heart Attack?" I ask.__  
__"Yeah Mama!" Hallie says.__  
__"Oh, I know now." I smile._

I did get them that album, and I remember I always was forced to listen to it in the car.  
"I don't remember how that song goes, but I know Heart Attack." I say.  
"Isn't that the girl that girls love?" Peeta asks.  
"Yeah, I think so. They got her album for Christmas."  
"Yeah, that's how I know her. And that movie. You know the USA song, I promise." Johanna says.  
"Well how does it go?" I demand.  
"I know she says Made in the USA…"  
"Oh! I know it now!" I exclaim.  
"Well sing it." Finn says. He dives under water again.

_Our love runs deep like a chevy__  
__If you fall I'll fall with you baby__  
__Cause that's the way we like to do it__  
__That's the way we like___

_You run around open doors like a gentleman__  
__Tell me girl every day you're my everything__  
__Cause that's the way you like to do it__  
__That's the way you like___

_Just a little West Coast, and a bit of sunshine__  
__Hair blowing in the wind, losing track of time__  
__Just you and I, just you and I__  
__Woah, woah___

_No matter how far we go, I want the whole world to know__  
__I want you bad, and I wont have it any other way__  
__No matter what the people say,__  
__I know that we'll never break__  
__Cause our love was made, made in the USA__  
__Made in the USA, yeah___

_You always reading my mind like a letter__  
__When I'm cold, you're there like a sweater__  
__Cause that's the way we like to do it__  
__That's the way we like__  
__And never ever let the world get the best of you__  
__Every night we're apart, I'm still next to you__  
__Cause that's the way I like to do it__  
__That's the way I like___

_We touch down on the east coast__  
__Dinner in the sky rise, winter is the best time for walking in the city lights__  
__You and I, you and I__  
__Woah woah___

_No matter how far we go, I want the whole world to know__  
__I want you bad, and I wont have it any other way__  
__No matter what the people say,__  
__I know that we'll never break__  
__Cause our love was made, made in the USA___

_Cause baby I'll bite the bullet__  
__And take the blow for love__  
__Woahhhh, our love was made in the usa__  
__Made in the usa, made in the usa___

_No matter how far we go, I want the whole world to know__  
__I want you bad, and I wont have it any other way__  
__No matter what the people say,__  
__I know that we'll never break__  
__Cause our love was made, made in the USA__  
__Made in the USA, yeah___

_Made in the U.S.__  
__Made in the U.S.__  
__Made in the U.S.A_

"Good Brainless!" Jo says. I laugh and rub the sick harder. The moss next to it catches fire, and I sigh in relief and add stuff to build it up.  
Finn walks out of the water with two fishes. "I got some food. For your singing Kitty," he grins and starts to cook them. Johanna is widdling an arrow.  
"Well don't stop singing!" Peeta says.  
"Okay…lets get some Ariana Grande. I need a boy." I say.  
"I'll do it. I know what song it is."

I love the way you make me feel  
I love it, I love it  
I love the way you make me feel  
I love it, I love it  
Finn:  
I say,  
I'm thinkin' bout her every second, every hour  
Do my singin' in the shower  
Pickin' petals off of flowers like  
Do she love me, do she love me not? (love me not)  
I ain't a player, I just crush a lot (crush a lot)  
Me:  
You give me that kind of something  
Want it all the time, need it every day  
On a scale of one to ten I'm at a hundred  
Never get enough, I can't stay away  
If you want it, I got it, I got it everyday  
You can get whatever you need from me  
Stay by your side I'll never leave you  
And I ain't going nowhere cause you're a keeper  
So dont you worry, baby you got me  
I got a bad boy, I must admit it  
You got my heart, dont know how you did it  
And I dont care who sees it babe  
I dont want to hide the way I feel when youre next to me  
Chorus:  
I love the way, I love the way  
Baby I love the way, ooh I love the way  
The way I love you  
Ooh it's so crazy you get my heart jumpin'  
When you put your lips on mine  
And honey it ain't a question (q- question)  
Cause boy I know just what you like

So if you need it, I got it, I got it everyday  
Be your lover and friend, you'll find it all in me  
Stay by your side, (I'll never leave you)  
And I ain't going nowhere cause you're a keeper  
So don't you worry, baby you got me  
I got a bad boy, I must admit it  
You got my heart, don't know how you did it  
And I don't care who sees it babe  
I don't wanna hide the way I feel when you're next to me

I love the way, I love the way  
Baby I love the way, ooh I love the way  
The way I love you  
Finn:  
Uh, uh  
I make you feel so fine, make you feel so fine  
I hope you hit me on my belly when I sneak in your mind  
You a princess to the public but a freak when its time  
Said your bed be feeling lonely so you sleepin' in mine ( ew, no )  
Come and watch a movie with me  
American Beauty or Bruce Almighty, that's groovy  
Just come and move closer to me  
I got some feelings for you I'm not gonna get bored of  
But baby you an adventure so let me come and explore you

So don't you worry, baby you got me  
I got a bad boy, I must admit it  
You got my heart, don't know how you did it  
And I don't care who sees it babe  
I don't wanna hide the way I feel when you're next to me

I love the way, I love the way  
Baby I love the way, ooh I love the way  
I love the way, I love the way  
baby I love the way, ooh i love the way  
The way I love you  
The way I love you, you, you  
Yeah, the way  
I love the way you make me feel  
I love it, I love it  
I love the way you make me feel  
I love it, the way I love you  
can make you love me more

Soon enough, the four of us are eating fish and singing stupid songs. Johanna and I manage to make something to cover our chests and crotch, and we give it to the boys, too.  
"Let's song SpongeBob!" Peeta says excitedly.  
"Songebob?" I laugh.  
"The campfire song!" Finn says.  
"Yeah!" Him and Finn high five. We all start singing again. After a while, Johanna hands me a bow and twelve arrows. Finn wove a basket and he gave it to me and I put the arrows in it.  
"Get us more food kitty!" Finn exclaims. I stand up and wipe the dirt off my butt and load the bow Johanna made. I see a huge fish and I kill it and grab it by the arrow and pullit out of the river with a satisfied grin.

….s….

We do nothing for a week but joke around and I shoot some fish and we sing songs and play games and quiz each other on random stuff.  
"Can I get a hell no?" Jo asks.  
"Cause we gonna go all night." I fill.  
We all start singing Miley Cyrus as I shoot another fish.  
"How many days has it been?" I ask once its night and we're bored.  
"um…I don't know." Peeta admits.  
"Well…in a week we should head to the beach and start to make the raft for extraction, what do you think?" I ask.

….s….

That's what we do. And I hate it. I'm covered in bug bites, the crotch hair is…gross, my legs are bushes, my arm pits are overgrown and I'm disgusted with myself and I'm ready for a shower. My hair is greasy, too. Johanna is in the same position as me. We stop at the top of the hill Peeta and I fell down and make camp. I don't know what day it is, but I don't utter a complaint even though I have a ton of them.

HAYMITCH'S POV

The kids are miserable and they managed to beg us to take them home, insisting they forgot them.  
And they are most definatly Katniss's kids. They went and got a ton of their parents shirts for themselves and they took the food they like, the snacks that haven't gone bad, a ton of their own toys, and Brennan tried to get me to bring his bed.  
They refuse to go to bed when told, they complain a lot, and they just really miss Sweetheart and Peeta.  
Eventually, they begin to refuse to bathe, and it resorts to eating.  
"This is not good." Annie whispers.

KATNISS'S POV

Late at night, when the cameras are off, I admit I'm freaking out. "I'm scared the kids aren't cooperating." I whisper.  
"They're fine. Annie's got it under control." Finn says.

…s….

Day nineteen rolls around, and I am making the raft alone. Johanna has refused to help, Finnick is getting fish and Peeta is asleep. Finnick joins me on shore. "Peeta not helping?" he asks.  
"He's asleep," I'm about to scream from frustration.  
"Oy! Peeta, wake up man! Come help us!" Finn shouts.  
Two minutes later, Peeta joins us on the shore and helps with the raft.  
Later that night, when we're in a storm with a flash flood that pulls away our shelter, I get into a screaming fight with Johanna, and Peeta has to hold me back

HAYMITCH'S POV

"Lillian, we need to force the kids to eat. They're dying." I say.  
"I know they are," she runs her hands over her face and looks at her three grandchildren. "You know your mother and father would have already put you to bed after your baths, after dinner. You guys haven't bathed and two weeks and your refuse to eat. What will Mama and Daddy do?"  
They don't reply.

KATNISS'S POV

Day 21. We go home today. Today is Hallie's seventh birthday. Johanna finally comes around and helps us. we get in the water and start to paddle towards the extraction point and Peeta and Finnick swim behind us, shark attacks very likely. I get to see my babies today and I'm excited. I know Peeta is too, and Finn.

HAYMITCH'S POV

We scared them so bad with words that they started crying and they started doing what we told them. They're still sad, and they don't look happy when Hal's birthday rolls around. They go to school, crying. Mrs. Hawthorne is their teacher now again for first grade.

KATNISS'S POV

We get to an open field and see a chopped waiting for us. We all break into cheers and get in.  
They take us back to our hotel and we all take hour long showers where I stand under the all the way hot water and rub my skin raw. I shave four times in the same place and then I pull on a white sundress, cowbow boots and stare at myself in the mirror, overly excited that I'm wearing clothes so I can sit with my legs open. I'm reevaluated downstairs and my score goes from a seven point five to a nine point zero. We all go up a lot, but Johanna's goes up some, but not much.  
We're taken on one of those really fast flights back to Vermont, where we land right in Derby.  
"The kids are at school, let's go get the cake and get to the school. I called Gale and he talked to his Mom and they're going to get the whole first grade celebrate it, Hal, Bren and Bai are in different classes but Hal has Mrs. Hawthorne. We pick up the cake from the grocery store, and a ton of cookies and ice cream, and put them in the cooler. Peeta and I pull into the school parking lot. Hazelle says that they're going to be reading till we get there. I send Gale a text and he texts me back and says his mom knows we're here.  
"Let's go," we get visitors passes and head down to Hallie's classroom.  
"You go first." Peeta whispers. He sets the cooler down outside the door. I look in the window and see her back, all the way in the front.  
I open the door and step inside, silent. Peeta slides in after me, and I make the door shut without a noise. I put a finger to my lips to all the kids that see me, and they all cover their mouths with that little grin all kids get. Peeta nudges me, telling me to make the first move. I clear my thorat.  
"We were just stopping in to wish our baby girl a happy birthday." I say. "We don't mean to interrupt."  
Hallie whips around. "Mama! Daddy!" she flies up out of her chair and bullets towards us, flying into my arms.  
She is only wearing my tee shirt. She makes me trip, but Peeta steadies me. "Hal?" I ask. She looks up at me and kisses me right on the lips.  
"You came home!" she gasps.  
"Of course we came home," Peeta says. She kisses him on the lips too. "Hon, what are you wearing?" Peeta smiles.  
"I'm wearing Mama's shirt! She said we can wear her shirts when we want to!"  
"I meant when we were at home." I smile.  
She looks down at her clothes. "Am I in trouble?" she whispers. I smile.  
"No, now, I'll be right back," I set her down.  
"No Mama, don't go!" She holds my hand, and Peeta's.  
"I'm just going to get Bailee, and Daddy is going to get Brennan." I say.  
"Okay. I'm going to stay right here and wait for you," she sits down on the floor, flashing Peeta and her crotch, because she doesn't have on any panties.  
Oh my god. Peeta makes a choked noise from the back of his throat. "I'm going to go and…I'll be back," he mutters. I stand her up.  
"Stand right there baby, I'll be right back." I kiss her forehead and slip from her room.  
"G and get both of them while I um…get some clothes for her. I can't believe she has no underwear on.  
"Get some for Bailee and Brennan too. I have a feeling…" I sigh and walk down the hall. Bailee next, because she is right by Hal's room. I open the door and walk in. The teacher trails off.  
I see her eyes flick to Bailee, who is coloring on her desk. She raises her eyebrows and points at Bai, who is literally me but blond. I nod. "Bailee, you did remember to wish your sister a happy birthday today, right?" I ask. She look over her shoulder at me and shrugs.  
"No Mama." She keeps drawing scribbles in crayon all over her desk, but her hand freezes and she locks eyes with me. "Mama!" she squeals, running for me. She too, is in just my tee shirt with no underwear.  
"I'm just going to…" I point at the door and the teacher nods. I walk out of the classroom. "Stay right here honey," I set her down right outside of Brennan's room. "Don't move from this spot." I kiss her forehead and pull open Brennan's door. They're playing, and he's sitting on the floor, criss cross, with a truck. I can see clearly that he's naked underneath that shirt. I walk over to his teacher.  
"Can I help you?" she asks.  
"Yeah, I'm um…I'm Brennan's Mom," I look at my son, who has yet to notice me.  
"Oh…" she looks at him. "Well then I suppose you should know that he comes to school in jeans and a tee shirt and changed every day into another shirt…and he doesn't wear any underwear. It's starting to become a problem." She whispers. I sigh.  
"I'll handle it. Can I take him?" I ask.  
"Of course," she says. I walk over to Brennan and sit down in front of him.  
"Hey champ," I ruffle his curls and he looks up at me. His eyes turn to saucers .  
"Mama?" he whispers.  
"Brennan," I whisper, taking the truck from his hand and standing him up, rising to my feet myself.  
"Mama." He repeats. I look down at him and he reaches his arms up to me. I lift him up and tug down the tee shirt. I wave to his teacher and hand the toy truck to a little boy with red curly hair.  
"Do you want to play with this?" I ask.  
"Okay!" he takes it from my hand. I exit the room, and Bailee is standing right where I left her, staring at the door. Brenna sticks his thumb in my mouth and rests his head on my shoulder. I take Bailee's hand and pull her to Hallie's room. She's staring at the door still, in the exact same spot a left her.  
I set down Brennan and release Bailee's hand. "How about your three go over to Hallie's desk and look at her book?" I ask.  
They do as I say. I make sure they're not flashing anyone as I walk to Hazelle.  
"Has um…has Hallie been wearing…has she been wearing no panties?" I whisper. Hazelle sighs.  
"Yes. I told Annie and she made sure all three of them were completely covered. I notice that Hallie comes to school in a dress, she'll ask to use the restroom, and then she changes into one of those tee shirts and when I ask where her clothes are, she shrugs and says she doesn't know."  
I look to my three children. "That doesn't sound like them." I whisper. She sighs.  
"Listen, Katniss. When you were away, your family came…the kids…they didn't sleep. They didn't bathe and they didn't eat. They were dying. We had to scare them to get them to eat. They still won't go to sleep. Annie said that Brennan fell asleep one time and he woke up asking for Mama and Daddy. When Annie explained that you guys weren't here…they refused to operate."  
I look to my children again, a disgusting feeling setting in the pit of my stomach. "I'm gonna go talk to them." I whisper. She nods and I walk over to the kids.  
"So…" I begin, whispering. "Are you guys hungry?"  
"No." Hallie says. 'We head breakfast this morning, Mama. Auntie Annie made us toast from France."  
French toast.  
"Oh…are you tired?" I ask.  
"Yes." Bailee yawns. "I'm really tired Mama."  
"Me too," Hallie mumbles.  
Brennan just leans against me.  
"Do you feel dirty? Do you want to take a bath?" I ask.  
"Yes. I want my princess bed."  
Peeta walks back into the room just then.  
"Daddy!" They run to him. Peeta raises his eyebrows at me, asking if they're all without underwear. I nod. He beckons me towards him and hands me a bag. I pull both girls into the bathroom in the classroom and lock the door.  
"Now," I begin. "Are you going to tell me why you guys don't have on appropriate clothing? You know your not allowed of the house without good clothes." I say. I pull off both their shirts.  
They even smell bad.  
"We missed you Mama. If we wear not clothes, you always tell us to put clothes on. We wear no clothes because then you'll come home and tell us to put clothes on." Hallie explains. I sigh and help both of them into panties and then the dresses Peeta got for them.  
"Well…start wearing clothes you two, understand?" I say sternly.  
"Yes Mama," They say together. I brush their hair and set them loose. I exit the bathroom and see Brennan dressed in jeans and a tee shirt.  
"Okay class…we're having a party for the rest of the day." Mrs. Hawthorne says.  
She plays kids music and gets out some toys, Peeta brings in the cooler and we stand with Mrs. Hawthorne as she retells everything she just told me to Peeta. The kids play with their classmates and Mrs. Hawthorne, Peeta and I chat for a while. When it gets to a half hour before school lets out, we set up the snacks and make sure the kids don't eat something they're allergic to. We help all of them clean their face and hands. The bell chimes, and the kids bustle out, grabbing their backpacks. We help Hazelle clean up the room.  
"Okay, let's go you three." Peeta says.

…..s…

"I want to go to home!" Hallie starts throwing a tantrum, kicking the back of Peeta's chair.  
"Enough!" Peeta orders. We're going to Finn and Annie's to pick up their things and see the family.  
We have the practically drag them into the house. "And there's the two nude foresters!" Annie hugs both of us. Hallie, Brennan and Bailee go and sit down on the couch, pouting.  
"I already know everything that happened when we were gone. Don't both lying about it." I say.  
"I want to go home." Hallie snaps.  
"Stop," I tell her. Bailee and Brennan sit silently, sucking their thumbs.  
But Hallie looks me right in the eyes and says, "No."  
"What did you just say?" I ask.  
"I said no. I'm not going to stop. Take me home." She snaps.  
Peeta's eyes fill with shock and anger.  
"You want to go home? Alright, let's go, I'll take you home." I take the keys from Peeta. "Can someone bring them home?" I ask.  
"uh…" Annie coughs, shocked.  
"I will." Dustin says.  
"Thank you," I say.  
"Actually Mama, I'm okay. I'll leave later." Hallie says.  
"Oh, no, you want to go home. Let's go, let go home." I take her hand.  
"No Mama, I'm okay." I pull her off the couch. She sits down on the floor. I pick her up. "Mama! I'm okay!" She starts the thrash around.  
"I'll see you guys later." I say.  
"Be a bit lenient Katniss, you know how she's been for almost a month, and it's her birthday." Mama says quietly. Of course she's going to take care of the grandkids.  
"Mama, can I come please? I wanna go nighttime." Brennan says. He's not being rude about it.  
"Alright, come on." I say. I'm not going to actually punish Hallie. She hasn't slept in almost a month for goodness sakes. I'm going to make her take a nap. Hazelle did say they took at least a half hour nap, but that's hardly anything. Hallie is screaming now, and sobbing, hysterically.  
"I'm sorry! Please Mama, don't hurt me like he did!" she keeps screaming.  
He?  
Who the hell is he?  
"She means Andrew." Audrey whispers.  
She thinks I'm going to beat her and starve her and hurt her? I stand her up in front of me. "Hallie," I whisper.  
"Please Mama, I'm sorry." I put my hands on her cheeks and she flinches.  
"Hallie honey, I'm not going to hurt you. I won't ever hurt you. I won't hurt Brennan or Bailee or anybody. I'm not going to hurt anybody." I whisper.  
"Please Mama, I'm really sorry." She sobs. Peeta looks even more shocked than before.  
Hallie, my own daughter is afraid of me? "Hallie Dakota, I am not going to hurt you. You trust me, right?" I ask. She rubs her eyes and nods.  
"I trust you Mama." She hugs me, and I hug her back.  
"Good," I stand up and pick her up again. "Now, do you really want to stay here, or do you really want to go home?"  
"I wanna sleep, Mama. I want my Belle bed."  
"Okay then, let's go home."  
"I come too? Please Mama, I wanna tinker bell." Bailee whispers. She's half awake, clutching her blanket in one hand and clutching her bear to her chest with her other arm, and sucking her thumb.  
"Of course," I look to Peeta.  
"I'll come home later," he says.  
"Okay," I say. I lead the three down to the car and head for home.  
Oh yeah, the AC is still out.  
"Let's sleep together Mama!" Brennan says excitedly. I fight laughing, because after seeing Peeta naked for almost a month and not being allowed to do something about it was torture, so my mind may not be in the right place.  
"I thought you wanted your own bed?" I ask.  
"Come with us!" Hallie begs.  
"Please?" Bailee whispers.  
"Alright, let's go."

...9...

I wake up, soaked in sweat, Hallie is soaked in her own, and so is Bailee and Brennan.  
We need to get the AC fixed.  
"It's too hot Mama." Brennan sits up.  
"I know, I'll be right back." I whisper. I rise and open up the door in Peeta and I's room that lead out to the balcony then then I go downstairs and open windows. I grab my phone off the coffee table and dial Peeta.  
"Hey baby," I can hear the smile in his voice, and it makes me smile.  
"Hey...what can I do about the air?" I ask.  
"The air?" He repeats. "Oh! Oh my god, I completely forgot about that. I'll come home and get it taken care of."  
"Peeta, wait. You don't have to, I can't do it, I just-"  
"No. No it's okay, I'll do it, you go back to bed." He says.  
"How do you know I was in bed?" I demand.  
"Well first, I know the kids talked you into it, and next, I can hear it in your voice. Now go back to bed baby, I'll get it taken care of." He says.  
I sigh, "Okay, I love you."  
"I love you too." He says.  
"Bye." I mumble.  
"Bye," he hangs up.  
I go back upstairs and force myself to sleep.

...0...

When I wake, the door to the balcony is closed. The kids are dead asleep and I'm actually cold. I get out if bed, careful not to rouse them as I get a throw blanket from the closet and shedding my clothes down to my underwear, a button up plaid shirt and a black push-up. I wrap myself in the throw blanket and go downstairs. The family is here, which doesn't surprise me.  
Peeta is laying on the couch, shirtless, asleep. I lay down on top of him. He doesn't even open his eyes, he just slides his hand under the blanket and on my bare back.  
"Hi," he whispers.  
"Hi baby." Johanna says before I do. Peeta's eyes fly open and he dumps me on the floor. We all burst out laughing as I stand up.  
"Wait...what the hell Johanna!" Peeta exclaims. He grabs my waist and pulls me back on top of him. "That was rude."  
"That was hilarious." I'm laughing.  
After a little while of laughing, we stop.

**Okay guys, I have another story I'm going to start working on. It's like Harry Potter with THG characters, but it's going to be my own version. **


	9. Chapter 9

I wake to hands sliding up down my back, slipped underneath my open shirt.  
I fell asleep?  
The house is quiet. I can feel his warmth and know I'm lying on top of Peeta. I crack open my eyes and am met with his calm, soft, gentle blue ones.  
It's dark out, but the light is on.  
"I'm sorry. I'll move," I start to rise, but his arms lock around me and pull me back down on top of him.  
"Don't, baby. I love you. Don't leave." He places a kiss on my forehead, my cheek and then my lips. "So…I wanted to talk to you about something." He whispers.  
"Hmm?" I mumble.  
"There's so many kids out there…with parents that don't care…so many orphans and baby's put up for adoption. I want to adopt." He whispers. I lock eyes with him.  
"What?" I repeat.  
"I mean…we don't have to…I just…I really want to adopt." I sit up, planting myself right over his groin, not necessarily doing it on purpose, but not exactly doing it on accident. He sits up and puts his hands on the small of my back. "We don't have to." He nuzzles my neck. "It was just an idea." He mumbles.  
I like that idea. "Okay." I whisper. He lifts his head from my neck and locks eyes with me.  
"Okay?" he asks. "Okay what?"  
"Okay we can adopt. But a baby Peeta, one still on bottles." I say. His eyes light up like Christmas lights.  
"Girl or boy?" he asks.  
"Boy, because we have two girls…no, actually, I think we'll know when we see the baby." I say.  
"I agree with you." he whispers, pulling me closer to him. Since he's only in jeans, and I'm in panties, a black bra and an open button down plaid shirt, we end up kissing. When he starts to pull down my button down, I pull away, putting my hands on his chest.  
"No. The kids are asleep upstairs. We can't, Peeta." I whisper.  
"They're asleep." He kisses my again, and I almost give in, but I force myself away.  
"Peeta," I say sternly. "No."  
"Later then?" he asks.  
"If we can manage to get them out of our bed first." I whisper.  
"Let's go move them n-"  
"You can wait. They need to be woken and they need to be fed." I say. he groans loudly. "Stop it." I start to get up, but he pulls me back down.  
"Kat, please, I can't wait." He whines.  
"No. Not at all now." I say.  
"What! Katniss!" he complains.  
"Shh!" I hiss. I start to get up again, but once again, he pulls me back down.  
"Please? I'll pay you." he says.

PEETA'S POV

I shouldn't have said that. I was kidding, but still, I shouldn't have said that. She shoves me, forcing my arms to let go of her. "You'll pay me?" she shouts in anger. "Like I'm some whore? What the fuck Peeta, what the hell is wrong with you! How dare you say that to me! To anyone!" she shouts. "I'm not someone you can just pay to get sex! I'm not some fucking prostitute! I'm your fucking wife, not your toy!"  
"Katniss-" I begin loudly.  
"No, you know what, leave me the fuck alone." She shouts at me. She turns around and storms upstairs.

KATNISS'S POV

"Mama, are you and Daddy going to break up like how Nana and Papa did?" Hallie whispers. I'm boiling with anger at the fact that Peeta said he would pay me for sex.  
Like a whore.  
Or a slut.  
Or even a prostitute.  
But when Hallie asks me, the three of them sitting, awake on Peeta and I's bed, I realize they heard all of that.  
Nana and Papa are Peeta's parents. My parents are grandma and grandpa.  
"No honey, we're not going to break up. We're just…sometimes, grownups don't get along. Just like you guys. We argue just like you three."  
"But I don't like it when you argue Mama." Bailee whispers.  
"I don't like it when you argue either, but…things happen baby." I pull on skinny jeans, a white tank top and then a red and black button down shirt.  
"Mama…don't let Daddy go. Tell him you're sorry Mama, please?" Brennan whispers.  
I'm not apologizing at Peeta for shouting at him when he practically called me a prostitute without really saying it.  
"Daddy isn't going anywhere." I say. it's not meant to be,, but it comes out curt.  
"Do you love me Mama?" Brennan asks. I kneel down.  
"Come here, all of you." The all walks over to me, and I hug the three of them. "I love all of you, and Daddy, very, very much. Daddy and I are not going to break up." I kiss their heads and stand up, feeling bad now for freaking out at Peeta. "Mama will be right back." I walk downstairs. He's lying down again, his face red, his hands over his eyes. He doesn't notice me until I'm sitting on his groin, pulling his hands off his eyes.  
"Katniss, I swear to god. I swear on my life and the kids lives and everyone and everything in the entire universe that I didn't mean to say it and I was joking. You know I don't think about you that way-" I put my finger to his lips.  
"Stop. I'm sorry. For shouting at you and…for overreacting. I really love you and I'm sorry."  
"I'm sorry too." He whispers.  
"So…we're good?" I ask.  
"We were ever bad?" he asks. I grin.  
"Good point." I whisper. "Hal honey, come down here a second?" I shift so I'm sitting more appropriately in his lap. Hallie comes downstairs. "Well…it's your birthday…so what are we doing for dinner?" I ask. "Do you want to go eat somewhere or do you want Daddy to make something?" I ask.  
"Can we go eat somewhere Mama?" she asks.  
"Of course we can. Where honey?" I ask.  
"Can we go to bread? That place with flatbread." She asks.  
"American Flatbread?" Peeta asks.  
"Yeah Daddy! Can the family come?"  
"Of course," Peeta smiles.

…..s…..

And here we sit, at dinner with the rest of our family. As Finnick, Johanna, Peeta and I dish everything that happened in the wilderness, the kids eat. I didn't change my clothes from my jeans, thank top and open checkered shirt. Peeta's hand rests on my thigh, and I can tell he's being clingy because of what he said earlier, but honestly, I'm over it.

Everyone says something or does thing on accident, right?

I swear I'll never forget when I was pregnant with the twins and Hallie was real little, only four months and I slapped Peeta.

And now she's seven. My little girl is seven years old. It's literally like a slap in the face. _Seven. _Hallie Dakota Mellark is sevn years old. It feels like just yesterday that I gave birth to her and now she's walked and talking and she's not nursing and she's in the first grade.

My throat begins to close and my eyes are suddenly stinging with tears.

"What's wrong, Katniss?" Prim asks me. I hate tears sliding down my cheeks. I stand up and climb over Peeta's lap.

"Excuse me," I throw my napkin on the table and walk out of the restaurant.

I'm not leaving of course, I just need some time to calm down. I get out of view of the window and start to pace around.

PEETA'S POV

"What's up with her?" Johanna asks.

"I haven't got a clue. That was weird." I reply. Everyone is looking at me for answers, but I honestly don't have one.

"Daddy, what's wrong with Mama?" Hallie asks.

"I don't know Hal." I tell her. Mrs. Everdeen and Prim stand up.

"We're going to go find out." Prim announces. They walk off.

KATNISS'S POV

I can't seem to catch my breath as I pace around behind the restaurant, crying and scrubbing tears away from my eyes with the palms of my hands.

"Katniss, what's wrong?" Prim asks, catching my arm to keep me from pacing anymore. Mama and her are demanding an answer with their eyes.

"She's seven. She's already seven. She's going to be eighteen soon! And then forty! And she's going to be married and have kids! She's seven years old already!" Mama hugs me and lets me cry into her shoulder, and Prim rubs her back.

"I know it's hard," Mama begins. "She's going to grow up and she's still going to be your perfect little girl. She's going to find the perfect guy and she's going to give you grandbabies. She's okay honey, it's fine. Embrace it while she's still young. Katniss, you're only thirty two. You can still have more children." I force myself to stop crying. Crying won't change anything. I need to let her grow and make sure I stay by her side.

So I don't let my emotions show as I wipe away my excess tears and walk into the restaurant.

"What happened?" Peeta demands the second I'm back in my seat.

"Nothing." I say.

"Don't lie to me." he says.

"I'll tell you later, okay?" I ask. He hesitates for a long time, and then sighs.

"Fine." He takes my hand, and then refuses to let go.

I don't ask him to. Because I don't want him to.


	10. Chapter 10

Month's later, on December first, when we're sitting in the living room, someone comes banging on the front door.

Peeta and I were serious about adopting, we've already been checked and finalized and okayed that we can adopt, and we haven't told the family yet. We don't know the kid yet, and we don't know when we go and see the kids.

I rise to go the door, pulling it open. The women who did our Homestudy is there. The kids are at school right now, so thankfully, it's only Peeta and I here. It's snowing outside. I step aside and let her into the house.

Peeta has been practically kissing my ass since he said he would pay me, and I've told him countless times that it's fine because I know he was kidding, but he isn't listening to me. He stopped hugging me when he wants, or kissing me when he wants, or having sex when he wants. I hate it when I have to be the one to start the action, so we haven't had any action since before we left for Naked and Afraid. I miss him kissing my cheek from behind, or sneaking up behind me and making sure his hand brushes mine when he walks past, or me laying on top of him and him rubbing my back. I miss in the mornings, when I'm out on the balcony or looking out the window and he wraps his arms around me from behind and nuzzles my neck.

And I really, really miss his strong arms around me when we sleep.

And I refuse to tell him, but the nightmares are back. The ones I had from 9/11 till I was like twenty two. I haven't had one in ten years, and they're back.

"I'm just stopping in. I wanted to let you guys know that your completely ready to adopt. You can stop in and get your child whenever you're ready." Then she turns around and leaves.

I stare at Peeta, and he doesn't look at me, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He's in jeans without a shirt, and they're hanging down just enough for me to see the waistline of his boxers, where it says _Hanes_. I shut the door behind her and look at him again. "Your killing me." I say.

"What?" he looks at me now. His eyes are light.

"I said _your killing me_." I reply. "You're fucking killing me."

"How?" he asks.

"You…" I shake my head. "Never mind." I brush past him.

"Katniss, wait." He says.

_Katniss_. He normally calls me _baby_ or _babe _or _hon_. Not _Katniss._

I stop at the stairs and turn to face him. I'm not going to say anything. He knows what he's doing.

Even the kids are noticing, and Hallie asked me why Daddy doesn't hug me like he used to, or why he doesn't kiss me like he used to. She even asked my why he doesn't hold me like he used to.

And I told her I don't know.

"What?" I ask. He doesn't look me in the eye. That pushes me over the edge. "Peeta, do you still love me?"

"Of course I still love you." he says.

"Well then why aren't you showing it! You don't touch me anymore, you don't look me in the eye…you know what Hallie asked me? She said 'Why doesn't Daddy love you anymore Mama? Why doesn't he hug you, or kiss you. Why doesn't he hold you no more?' and you know what I said…I said 'I don't know'. And you know what? I'm starting to think she's right. That you don't love me, that your just staying with he for the kids. You won't even look me in the eye! You never call me those cheesy nicknames! You make me hate my name because it's all you ever say."

"You know I love you." he whispers. He won't look at me.

"No Peeta, I don't. It doesn't feel like it, that's for damn sure. What happened to you?"

"Nothing happened to me." his eyes drift to the window.

"I miss you. I miss when you hug me or kiss me. I miss you sneaking up behind me and scaring me, and then kissing my cheek while you laugh. I miss you wrapping your arms around me from behind and nuzzling my neck like you used to! I miss you holding me as close as possible when we sleep. You won't even look me in the fucking eyes! You used to say you could stare at me all day and never get bored. Peeta, if you've got somebody on the side, you need to tell me."

"Somebody on the side!" he finally looks me in the eye. "Are you crazy! I don't have anybody on the side! I would never cheat on you!"

"Well then why won't you treat me like you used to! Is this because you said you would pay me? I get you feel bad Peeta, but come on! It was three fucking months ago! I've told you it's over with! It was over with right after you fucking apologized!"

"Well I'm sorry." He says curtly. I shake my head.

"No you're not." I whisper.

"Yes I am!" he exclaims.

"Prove it then. I want to see _you_. Not what your _pretending _to be. Your starting to make me think your leaving me." I snap.

"You want to see me?" he demands.

"Yes! I want you back! I don't want the fake you! I want you!"

"Fine." He snaps. I cross my arms across my chest, about ready to burst into tears.

He's not going to give me what I want. He's not going to be Peeta again. He's going to be a fake Peeta. I shake my head and turn around, starting to go up the stairs.

I don't even hear him come up behind me. Suddenly though, I'm shoved against the wall, not roughly, but extremely gentle. He's got me pinned with his body. His chest and flush against mine. His hands caress my cheeks. "Stop running away from me. I'm not going anywhere." He whispers.

"Well it seems like you hate me." I whisper.

"I don't hate you. I _love you_." he whispers.

"Prove it. Show me."

"Show you?" he repeats.

"Show me." I say again.

"Yes ma'am." Then he kisses me.

….1….

It was fifteen times, going on sixteen until the alarm forced us to stop because we had to go pick up the kids. I almost decide to ignore it, but he shakes his head.

"You don't need clothes." He takes my clothes out of my hands.

"Peeta!" I laugh, "Give it here!" I make a grab for my clothes, but he pulls me against his chest.

"Did I show you?" he whispers.

"Yes, give me my clothes!" I rip my jeans from his hand and he just snickers.

"I'm definetly not giving you your shirt and bra." He says.

"Peeta Ryan-"

"I'm kidding." He barks a laugh and hands my my shirt and my bra. "I'll be in the car…it would be so much faster if you would just wear what your wearing." I flick him off and stick my tongue out at him. He snickers. "I'll be in the car." He heads out. "Miley Cyrus," I hear him mutter before he disappears downstairs.

"Hey!" I bellow.

"What? You hardly have any clothes on and you just stuck your tongue out at me!" he says.

"So what! She's got good music, don't go bashing her."

"Fine, but she's not that hot. She should have just left her hair long-"

"She better not be fucking hot," I call down to him. I can hear him laughing as the front door closes. I pull on the bra and the long sleeve shirt, and my coat and boots, because it's snowing outside. I rake a brush through my hair and brush my teeth and head out front, making sure that my chest is fully covered, just to drive him crazy.

He's already complaining when I get in the car, grumbling about how 'I have to show what I've got'

"Until other guys see it." I say.

"Then we pepper spray them." He says. I start laughing and he grins. He starts laughing too, and we're still laughing when the kids get in the car.

That is until I see Brennan's right eye. Which is black. And Hallie's cheek, which has a cut on it. And Bailee's arm, which is cut.

"What happened!" I exclaim. Peeta looks in the rearview, and his laughter cuts off. All three of them start crying, and Peeta pulls over when we're down the street.

"This bully hurt Brennan! I told him to leave him alone and he cut my cheek with a rock! Then Bailee told him to leave us alone and he pushes her down and she cut her arm on a stick!" Hallie exclaims.

"What was Brennan doing when he hurt him? I ask.

"He was playing catch with Justin!" Hallie says.

"What was his name?" I demand.

"Trent Miller! He's a fifth grader!" Hallie exclaims.

I get out of the car without a word and slam the door.

PEETA'S POV

First of all, the kid hurt my kids and I want him to get in trouble for it. Second, Katniss is beyond pissed, even though she stayed calm when Hallie told her what happened. She's going right back up to the school and I can tell by the way she's walking she's furious and she's ready to beat a bitch.

And it sucks because I can't go after her and make sure she stays out of jail for beating a child.

At least we have the money to bail her out.

KATNISS'S POV

"I want to talk to the principle or whoever is in charge." I say, forcing my voice to stay calm.

The lady can tell not to piss me off more, so she calmly tells me where to go and I walk down the hallway and knock on his door.

"Come in." he says. I walk inside. "How may I help you?" he asks.

"I'm Katniss Mellark. My husband and I just picked up our three kids, Hallie, Brennan and Bailee, who are in the first grade. Brennan has a black eye, Hallie has a cut on her cheek and Bailee has a cut on her arm. When I asked what happened, Hallie said a fifth grader named Trent Miller hurt Brennan, when Hallie told him to stop he cut her cheek with a rock and then Bailee told him to stop and he pushed her down and she got a cut on her arm." I say.

"Trent Miller?" he repeats, shaking his head. "Trent Miller is one of the best students in this school. He wouldn't hurt a fly." He says.

"Well obviously he would because he just hurt all three of my children." I say.

"Mrs. Mellark, let's be reasonable here. Your children are in the first grade. How do you know they're not lying?" he asks.

"My kids don't lie." I say crudely.

"Well…Trent wouldn't hurt them." He says.

"How could you possibly know that? Both my daughters are cut and my son has a black eye! They wouldn't lie! They may be young, but they know better than that." I say.

"Well they would lie because they're lying now." He says.

"Alright, you don't want to fucking do something, I'm just going to the school board and get something done about it." I snarl. He opens his mouth to say something, but I turn around and walk out of his office. "Oh, and thank you. For your _consideration._" I slam the door, ignoring the stares of the staff as I storm out of the office.

Now I need to get a ride. Peeta will be very calm and nice and it will probably just piss me off, Annie will try to calm me down, which will just piss me off, Prim will just try to talk me out of it.

That leaves Johanna. She'll get the bullets for me. I call her. "Yo Brainless!" she says.

"I'm at the school. Come pick me up." I hang up on her.

…A….

She's there in five minutes, literally. I get in the car and slam the door. "I want you to take me to the school board so I can go kill someone." I say.

"Cool, can I help?" she asks.

"Sure," I say. She stomps down on the gas as I start to ramble about everything that happened from this morning, including the sex, to right now. She;s silent for the most of it, snide comments thrown out about the people involved occasionally, or shakes of her head. And when I'm done, she;s furious.

"I'm going to get that fucking principle fired." She says. The school board is nearly an hour away. Peeta calls me a ridiculous amount of times, and after a while, people from the family start to call me too. I purposely leave my phone in the glove compartment as we walk inside.

"I want to talk to the boss." I say to the receptionist. She says something into a phone, obviously sensing Johanna and I's anger.

"He's on break until four. Do you want to talk to someone else?" she asks.

"What time is it right now?" I ask.

"Three thirty." She says.

"May we wait?" I ask.

"Yes, he said you can go sit in his office…" she looks around. "Katie, do you mind taking these two to the head?" A petite girl nods and leads Johanna and I off.

…..s…..

"Okay, I do apologize for my tardiness. This must be pretty serious because my assistant warned me that two very angry people were here." He says.

"Yes, this is about my three children. I'm Katniss Mellark." I say.

"Ah yes, youo two were on Naked and Afraid." He says.

"Yes," I say.

"Okay…well I'm Jackson." He says. "So what happened?" he asks.

"So…my husband and I went and picked up our three kids from school, from Derby Elementary School. They're all three in first grade. My son had a black eye, and my daughters had cuts." I go on to explain everything that happened, and he looks shocked when I tell him how the principle handled it.

"He didn't even try to do anything?" he asks.

"Not a single thing."

"So your kids, all three of them are being bullied and he won't do a thing about it?" he asks.

"Correct." I reply. He sighs.

"Wow…okay, I'll handle this. Don't worry about your children Mrs. Mellark, I assure you that this will never happen again." he says.

"Are you going to punish the kid?" Johanna asks.

"Well he's bullying not one, not two, but three first graders when he is in fifth grade. Of course he's going to be punished. He'll be suspended and possibly expelled." He says.

"Thank you," Johanna and I get up and head home.

PEETA'S POV

I'm honestly panicking now. The kids are asleep and I'm pacing the living room.

How long has she been gone? Two hours?

Three?

She walks in the door and I see Johanna's car drive off through the window.

"Relax, I'm not in any kind of trouble." She puts her hands up.

"Dammit Katniss! You're going to give me a heart attack!"

KATNISS'S POV

He hugs me tight against his chest. I grin, happy to have him back. He lies down on the couch and pulls me on top of him, and he starts demanding answers, and I give him all of them.

….s….

Today is the day, the day we get the kid. Peeta and I decided last night. We want a baby, but we're going to see all the kids. It's Friday, the family is down, and everyone is at our house.

After we drop the kids off at the school, we stop by our agent's house and she comes with us to Montpelier. This isn't a foster home thing, this is an orphanage with all different aged children.

I'm nervous and so is Peeta. We still haven't told our family, and we're not going to until they figure it our themselves.

We leave our phones in the car and head inside. Our agent takes us into a room and we're questioned by the head of the process.

"Okay, you're ready." She says. "Go on in, through that door."

And it's _heartbreaking. _

Kids running around, crying, screaming, shouting at one other. There's other people in here, looking to adopt. There's newborn babies and there's toddlers and there's kids Hallie's age and there's some kids, that are older than the rest. Their clothes are ragged and they look frightened and it breaks my heart. Peeta becomes preoccupied with a little boy, who is probably only a year old. He can sit up and he can make noises, but he doesn't smile.

Our kids smiled at everyone when they weren't crying.

Hallie even smiled at someone I was in an argument with one time.

This kid flinches.

I see a girl, who looks young, but is probably in the sixth grade. She's in a sweatshirt that's far too big for her and pants that doesn't fit. She's put herself in a corner, and for some reason, I feel an overwhelming urge to go and talk to her. I release Peeta's hand and walk away. He doesn't notice I left him because he's with the boy. I walk over to the girl and see she's writing in a notebook. She looks up at me and her eyes widen and she slams it shut and shoves it behind her. I sit down in front of her. The floor is cold and dirty, and I know this girl must be freezing. "Hi." I smile.

"Hi…" she whispers.

"What's your name?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "I haven't got a name." she says.

"You don't have a name? What do they call you then?" I ask.

"Her…or it…or thing…or girl. Mostly it."

It. They call this girl it.

"Oh…"

"Yeah…you probably think I'm weird. You can go away from me, if you'd like. I'm going to be here till I'm eighteen anyways. I'll have to go pick a name. I like Kilee, spelt K-I-L-E-E." she says. I smile.

"Well that's what I'll call you then, Kilee. Is that alright?" I ask. She smiles a little.

"Yes ma'am."

"I don't think your weird. I was in a foster home since I was ten." I say.

"Oh…why?" she asks. "If you don't mind me asking." She adds very quickly. And then she flinches, as if I'm going to hit her. My heart clenches.

"I don't mind. I won't hurt you, you know." I say. She says nothing. "But…you know 9/11?" I ask.

"With those burning towers?" she asks.

"Yeah…well I was there with my husband, I was ten and he was eleven. We got separated from our families and me, my cousin Johanna, my sister Prim and I got sent to a foster home with another girl. I almost got adopted and I knew my parents were alive…I was mean to them because I wanted them to leave me alone."

"Oh…" she says. "I was in those plastic things. Ten minutes after I was born, after my biological parents gave birth to me, they fled the hospital. The doctors found me crying. I've been here ever since."

I bite my bottom lip to keep from crying. "What's in that notebook?" I nod at it, where I can only see the corner behind her back.

"Um…the things I want. You want to see?" she asks. "You don't have to!" she flinches again, and I smile.

"Sure," I say. She hands me the notebook. I open it up and on the first page I see _A FAMILY_. I keep flipping through it. It's a ton of things a child should have.

It starts with the words in pencil she pressed real hard to put in bold that says _It's Christmas List_

It. She thinks of her name as it.

_A blanket to sleep with_

_A teddy bear_

_A bicycle. Not pink though, blue. Like the sky._

_My own room._

_A Mama_

_A Daddy_

_A little brother_

_A little sister. _

_Posters of Debby Ryan to put on my own bedroom wall_

_Grandparents._

_Aunts and uncles_

_Cousins_

_Some CDs of Miranda lambert, Christina Perri, and Blake Shelton_

_A friend_

_Clothing that actually __fits__ me_

It stops there.

I want to take this child home with me. "Can I hold onto this for a second?" I ask. She hesitates, and then she nods.

"If you're going to leave, can you be nice enough to bring it back to me? It's my only escape."

"Of course," I smile. I stand up and walk over to Peeta. He's holding that boy.

"I want him." He says.

"I want that girl over there, in the corner." His eyes look past me.

"She's like…eleven," he says.

"Peeta, please." I whisper. "Read this." I open the notebook and hand it to him, taking the child from his arms. I fall in love with him immediately, and I want both of them.

His face goes blank, and he looks upset.

"She doesn't even have clothes that fit her?" he asks.

"Neither does he." I say. This little boy is in clothing that could probably fit that girl.

"But…now I want both of them." He whispers.

"Me too." I whisper. He looks at the girl, and then at the boy, and then to me.

"So lets get both of them." He says.

I raise my eyebrows. "Really?" I ask.

"Yes. Let's get both of them." He says.

"Okay," I grin, setting the boy down.

"What's her name?" he asks.

"They call her it. She doesn't have a name. Her family left her alone in the hospital ten minutes after she was born." His eyes widen.

"How could someone do that to a baby?" he whispers.

"Goode question." I reply.

"Whatever, lets go get them." He starts to walk away with her notebook, but I take it from his hand and set the baby down.

"Hang on," I walk over to the girl and hand her the notebook.

"Thank you for keeping me company." She says. I smile at her.

She has no idea what she's got coming her way.

"You're welcome."

I walk over to Peeta and allow him to pull me away.

…..a…

After filling out paperwork for nearly three hours, I begin to get scared we won't make it home in time to pick up the kids from school.

"Okay, we can go get the kids and have them pack their things, or you can go get them and go with the to pack their things." The one in charge says. I quickly learned her name is Coin.

"We can go get them." I say.

"Okay, go ahead." I rise and pause outside the door with Peeta.

"I'll get her, you get him." I say. Peeta nods and we slip back into the room. She's scrawling in her notebook again, and she looks ready to burst into tears. She doesn't look up until I'm standing right in front of her. I squat down in front of her. "You should go pack your bags, Kilee." I say. She stares at me, not bothering to close her notebook because I've already seen inside of it. I can see the start of a drawing, that is amazing. Oh, she's going to fit right in, I can tell. She has brown eyes, lips exactly like Peeta's and hair that is straight, and it's my color, but a bit lighter, as if she has a blond father.

"What?" she asks.

"I said go pack your bags. I'm your new Mama." She continues to stare at me, as if she doesn't hear me.

"Your my Mama?" she whispers.

"Yes, if that's alright." I smile. Her eyes flood with tears as she closes her notebook. I stand up and so does she.

"Are you just trying to be mean and mess with me?" she demands. I smile again and shake my head.

"Nope, and see him, over there?" I point to Peeta.

"Yes." She whispers.

"That's your Daddy. Now, let's get your stuff packed." She hesitates at first, but she grabs my hand and pulls me through a door and upstairs. She has to literally hold her pants up as she walks. She walks to the corner or a musky, dirty room.

"I don't really…I don't have anything other than a toothbrush. I guess I should leave that, since I share it." She shrugs.

"What about those?" I point to some clothes on the floor.

"Those aren't mine. Neither are these. I can't take these."

I think of something I could possibly have in the car she could wear.

"I have some clothes in the car. I bet you'll fit them." I say.

"Okay." She says. Peeta walks in just then, with the boy, who I know is named Tristen. Kilee looks at Peeta, and he smiles at her.

"Hi," he says.

"Hi…" she's shy at first, put Peeta doesn't seem to mind.

"Can you go to the car and get that tee shirt of mine, and those jeans?" I ask.

"Yeah…we need to go the store." He says.

"Let's just call Prim and have her pick up the kids." I say.

"I'll do that now." He says. "I'll be right back." He walks away.

PEETA'S POV

I'm excited and happy.

I get the clothes from the car and call Prim.

"Where the hell are you guys!" Prim shouts.

"We'll be home in a few hours with a…gigantic surprise that is going to shock all of you. Can do you us a favor and pick the kids up from school?"

"Fine, but what are you guys doing?"

"Nothing, you'll find out later. You're all going to be surprised, just…get the kids, please."

"Fine." I hang up on her before she can ask any more questions. I take the clothes back up to Katniss, and she shoves me out the door.

KATNISS'S POV

"You don't mind changing in front of me, right?" I ask.

"No." she says. "I have to change in front of boys all the time. I don't mind." She says.

"Okay," I say. She takes the clothes from me and pulls them on.

"He can't take those either." She points at Tristen. "Is he my brother?" she asks.

"Yes, he's your little brother. You have three more little siblings. The oldest is Hallie, she's seven, and then there's the twins, Bailee and Brennan. They're six. And obviously Tristen, who's one." I say. I take off Haden's clothes and wrap him up in my coat.

"Cool. I've always wanted a family," she says.

I smile. "You have an Aunt Primrose. We call her Prim though. She's twenty five. She has a younger daughter, Olivia, who's two." I take her hand and head out. Peeta takes Tristen from me as we head to the car. "Then my parents and Peeta's dad. We don't speak to his mom anymore, because she's not a very nice person. Then Uncle Haymitch…he's bitter and…honest, but he won't hurt you, I promise. He may be mean sometimes, but he's going to be there for you in the long run." I go down half the list and then Peeta start filling in things as we head to the store.

"Wait, so Johanna is my second cousin but I should call her Aunt Jo?" she asks.

"Or just Johanna, I don't know, just ask her that. Don't be surprised if there's _a lot_ of tears. Our family is very emotional." It's Christmas in four days. "And they're going to be clinging and it's going to get annoying, but they'll stop eventually." I say.

"Okay…" she says. "Where do we live?" she asks.

"In Derby. You'll have your own room. Bailee and Hallie are going to share. We'll get stuff to decorate it however you want, and we'll get everything you need. We have eleven acres of land, the house is five bedrooms, or four, I think it's four, there's three bathrooms." I say.

"I get to decorate my room how I want?" she asks.

"Yeah, of course." Peeta looks at her in the rearview mirror.

It's a good thing we took my truck. Our agent is staying with her family so she doesn't have to come back. "You'll probably get along amazingly with Audrey. She's twelve and you're eleven, so…" I trail off.

"Cool," she grins.

…..s…..

She gets light blue bedroom paint and white paint, she gets a white bed with drawers on all sides and selves on the headboard, we get her a mattress that she starts falling asleep on when she lays down on it, and a white dresser with a mirror and a futon couch, a corner desk, a bookshelf and a ton of books, a ton of clothing and everything. We get her toys, too. And a blue swivel desk chair. And her own sheets and bedding and shampoo and a scrubby thing for when you're in the shower and the little things that a girl needs. She gets shy when I ask her if she's started her period yet, but I pushed Peeta away first. She shakes her head.

Tristen is quiet for the most part. We get him a car seat and baby clothes and diapers and bottles and formula and baby things, but we don't get furniture, Peeta and I agreeing to just let him use Brennan's old things. When he's older he'll get to have what he wants, just like Kilee is. He's too young to choose now. He's asleep, anyways. I change his diaper and put him in his own clothes before we load him up in his new car seat.

Kilee doesn't need to know we spent almost three thousand dollars on her.

…..s…..

I can tell she's very, very nervous to meet the family. Peeta and I cover the bed of the truck and get out. "What if they don't like me?" she asks.

"They're going to love both of you because they love all the family," I assure her. I walk into the house and she hesitates.

"Mama!" Hallie runs for me. I ruffle her hair.

"Hey Hal," I smile. My family is staring at Tristen and Kilee. "Peeta has something he would like to say." He shoots me the '_you're going to pay for that later'_ look and I smirk.

"Well…I know you guys noticed how Katniss and I have been whispering about something and eevery time you asked, we told you to bud out." He begins.

"Yeah…" Johanna trails off.

"Well…we adopted Tristen and Kilee. Kilee is eleven and Tristen is one." Peeta explains.

"What's adopted mean, Mama?" Brennan asks me.

"Adopted mean that you three now have an older sister named Kilee and a younger brother named Tristen." I say.

"More brothers and sister?" Bailee asks.

"Yeah," I smile. "Now, Hal, Bai, you two are going to get to sleep in the same room now, doesn't that sound fun?" I ask.

"Yeah Mama! Like a sleepover all the time?" Hallie asks.

"Right, like a sleepover all the time." I smile. Kilee is silent.

"Hi Kilee! I'm Hallie! I'm this many!" she holds up seven fingers.

"Hi Hallie." Kilee smiles.

"How much are you?" Hallie asks.

"I'm this many," she holds up ten fingers. "Plus one. Can you do math, Hallie?"

"I think so. This many is…" she starts to count Hallie's fingers. "Ten!" she says.

"Right, and then add this to ten." Hallie holds up one finger.

"Ten plus one?" Hallie asks.

"That's eleven Hallie!" Brennan jumps up. "Hi big sister! I'm Brennan! I'm this much!" Brennan holds up six fingers.

"Hi Brennan," Kilee smiles again.

"Hi…I'm Bailee. I'm that much too," Bailee is shy why she meets new people. She always has been.

"Why isn't Tristen saying hi to me!" Hallie asks.

"He's too little, Hallie. He's littler than Olivia." I say.

"Oh." She backs up. "Will he get big?"

"Yeah honey, he's gonna get big." I say.

"Cool!" Bailee says.

"Well Kilee, I'm Annie." Annie stands up.

"Hi," Kilee waves.

"You can just call me Annie if you want to."

Everyone begins to introduce themselves, and yes, I was right when I said there would be tears.


	11. Chapter 11

Okay, I've seen happy children before.  
I've seen children excited, and polite.  
But I have never, in all my thirty two years, seen a child as happy, as polite, as respectful and just as grateful as Kilee is.  
Kilee lets Hallie, Brennan, Bailee and Tristen take her bed. She's using the guest bed right now because we're doing her bedroom and Tristen's bedroom tomorrow.  
Well, Kilee and I are doing her bedroom tomorrow and Peeta is doing Tristen's bedroom, and we're moving the girls bedrooms.  
The kids had fallen asleep in Kilee's bed, and she didn't come and get Peeta and I, instead, she lied down on the hardwood floor, in the winter, without a pillow or a blanket.  
And now I stand in the doorway, watching them. She's shivering and asleep. I walk into the room and carry Tristen off to his crib, which we did set up today because we can't sleep anywhere else.  
I pick up Brennan and bring him to his bed, and then do the same with Hallie and Bailee. Then I remake her bed, arrange the pillows, peel the covers back and kneel down beside her.  
"Kilee," I whisper, running my fingers through her hair. She sits up, scooting away from me, looking scared, cold and exhausted for a moment. "It's okay, I won't hurt you honey." I whisper. "Go on, get in bed." I tell her. She stands up and looks at the bed. I rise, too.  
"Where's the kids?" she asks.  
"They're in their own beds. Go on now, go to sleep." I whisper. She crawls into the bed and I cover her up, brushing some hair out of her eyes.  
"Mama?" She whispers.  
"Hmm?" I ask.  
"Thank you, for caring." Then her eyes close, and I can tell she's asleep.  
I kiss her forehead. "You're welcome," I whisper. "I love you." I walk out of the room, shutting the door, but leaving it open just a crack. I sneak into Tristen's room and kiss his forehead. "I love you, Tristen," I whisper. He doesn't stir.  
I sneak into Brennan's room, and kiss his forehead, and whisper I love him, and do the same to Hal and Bai.  
I'm the only one up right now. Everyone else has fallen asleep.  
I climb into bed with Peeta. He wakes up. "Where'd you go?" he mumbles, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me as close against him as he can.  
"To check on the kids. Tristen, Bai, Bren and Hal took over Kilee's bed. She didn't even complain, she just slept on the floor. And then, when I moved the little ones and put her in her bed, she whispers 'Mama' and I asked, 'hmm?' and she goes…she goes 'thank you, for caring'."  
"I'm glad we got both of them. I don't think I would ever forgive myself if we didn't." he whispers.  
"I agree." I mumble.  
We fall silent.  
"Stay with me," I whisper right before I fall asleep. He nuzzles his nose into my neck.  
"Always baby," he plants a kiss on my shoulder and sighs. "Always."  
And then I'm out.

...9...

"Kat." Peeta wakes me. "Get up hon."  
"Why?" I roll over and groan loudly.  
"Come on, it's noon. We've waiting way to long to wake you and we probably won't finish until tomorrow or Monday." He says.  
"Finish what!" I throw my pillow at him. "If you love me, you'll let me sleep!" I moan.  
"I've let you sleep half the day away. Literally." Peeta says. "Come on, get up baby." He pats my thigh.  
"No," I mumble.  
"Fine." He lifts me up. I'm in a long sleeve shirt and pajama pants because it's below zero outside. I fall back asleep when I'm in his arms.  
"Katniss, look down." He says, waking me. I look down and see that he has me hanging off the balcony.

I jump and begin to fall, but he grabs my wrist. "I'm going to kill you when I'm back on my feet, Peeta Ryan!" I shout at him. He pulls me back onto my feet and I shove him, gently of course.

"Wait…I want to have a serious conversation with you before we do all this work." He says.

"Hang on." I jog inside and pull the comforter off our bed. I go back to the balcony and wrap the blanket around the both of us. "Okay, go ahead." I say.

"Okay, so I just got off the phone with Macy." He says. Macy, the manager at our restaurant. "And people are _complaining_."

"Are we in debt? Are we-" I blurt before he cuts me off.

"No, we're not in any trouble like that…they're complaining because they live in other states and that location is the only location." He admits. "We need to expand…" he trails off.

"That means we have to go to every location for like…a few months each and expand." I mumble. "We can't do that with the kids and school. We'll never get time to be together."

He runs his hands through his hair.

"Your right…maybe…I guess I'll just have to go." He whispers.

"But me and the kids…we'll never see you."

"I'll come home for birthdays and holidays, Katniss. And it won't be forever. Just a year."

"A year…"

An entire year with Peeta only home for the holidays and birthdays.

A year. 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes and 31, 536,000 seconds.

"I'm really going to miss you Katniss, you and the kids. But we'll have so much money…and its just better for the family." He says. I take a deep breath and shuts my eyes for a moment.

"Your right." I open them. "But I'm going to miss you." I hug him.

...9...

"Can you even paint, Mama?" Kilee asks me.  
"I painted Hallie's room with Peeta." I grin.  
"Her room is only pink." She points out, grinning as well.  
"Well it looks pretty good, don't you think?" I ask. She laughs.

"It looks excellent." She smiles.

"I thought so. So…lets paint!"

It starts with a roller, and the downgrades to a paintbrush.

And then Tristen, who is sitting right next to the paint bucket sticks his arm in the paint and makes a handprint on the wall. "Tristen!" Hallie groans. Peeta isn't with us. He's working with Finnick on the other rooms.

"Oh well." I stick my hand in the paint and rub it all over the wall.

"Mama!" Kilee exclaims, smiling.

"What honey? It washes off." I answer. She smiles and soaks her hands.

And then all of us are painting in paint.

"Mama!" Brennan exclaims. I bend down to his level and he puts a handprint on my cheek.

And everything turns into a paint war, filled with laughter and shrieks.

PEETA'S POV

I'm just finishing setting up Bailee's furniture in Hallie's room when I hear Katniss shriek and then Kilee laugh and then all the kids screaming.

Oh god. It's me and the guys working in the basement.

"Kilee!" Katniss laughs.

I don't know if I actually want to know. I get up and go upstairs, the curious guys behind me.

What is it with my wife and paint?

They're in a full blown paint war, and I'm suddenly overjoyed with myself for being smart and putting down plastic on the floor. Even Tristen is playing. He's giggling and throwing paint all over the place.

They didn't even get one wall done, and I can clearly see they used their hands to do most of what they did get done. I grit my teeth, not out of annoyance, but because I'm honestly not surprised.

KATNISS'S POV

I see Peeta in the doorway at the same time as the kids, and we freeze our movements. I'm dripping. We all are. Peeta's mouth opens and closes four times.

And then I grin and drag my hand down his cheek, his neck and his bare chest. He narrows his eyes.

"You're gonna pay for that." He seizes my wrist and throws me over his shoulder.

And the war resumes. I push him down on the paint and soak him with it. He fights me off, gently, all of us laughing. My knees slip and I fall on top of him, our bodies forming a T.

Then Kilee slips on me and falls on top of us, and then Hallie lays down on top of her, Brennan on her and Bailee on her. The family is watching in the doorway.

"This is a perfect family portrait!" Johanna walks into the room and lays Tristen down on top of Bailee.

"This is very uncomfortable." Peeta wheezes. It's hurting my boobs. Then the family forces us to smile and gives a thumb up to the camera.

"This is adorable!" Mama gushes.

"Can someone please help me!" Peeta groans.

"Nah, let's leave them." Johanna says. Everyone agrees and walks away.

"COME BACK!" I scream. "This is not helping my boobs!" I moan.

"Your boobs? What about my lungs!" Peeta exclaims.

"This is very uncomfortable." Kilee says.

"Mama! Get them off me!" Hallie screams. "GRANDMA! I NEED HELP!"

"Oh yeah kids, guilt trip Grandma." I say.

"Grandma!" Kilee screams. All of the kids start to screams for me mother.

"MOM!" I shout.

"Tell them they're killing the baby." Peeta says.

"What baby?" I ask.

"There isn't a baby, they just don't know that!" he says.

"MOM PLEASE! YOUR KILLING THE BABY!" Footstepscomes barreling down the hallway, and instead of my mother, Johanna walks into the room.

"Your knocked up, Brainless?" Johanna asks.

"Yes!" I exclaim.

"Well shit," she lifts the kids off and helps me up.

"Just kidding!" I snicker.

"Okay, don't fight." Peeta says, sitting up, rubbing his chest, stopping us before we can even start. "You all need to go bathe." He says.

We all get up and the kids go off in different directions. I just take a shower with Tristen and then let Peeta in. While he bathes, I put Tristen to sleep and lay him in his crib.

"Mama!" Hallie screams from the bathroom, where her, Bailee and Brennan are bathing. I walk in.

"Yes?" I ask.

"The paint won't get off me!" she whines. I help them scrub off the paint and then go down the hall and knock on the door to the bathroom Kilee is occupying.

"Yeah?" she calls.

"Can you get the paint off?" I ask. She's quiet for a moment.

"You can come in, Mama." She says. I open the bathroom door and slip inside. All the showers are glass, but I don't mind, and she doesn't seem to.

"Do I have it all out?" she asks.

"You have some in your hair," I tell her. She washes her hair again.

"Now?" she asks.

"Yeah, it's out." I say.

"Okay, thank you." she says.

"You're welcome." I smile. I head out of the bathroom and down the hall to Peeta and I's bedroom. I shut the door and walk right into the bathroom without knocking. He is nowhere near getting the paint off. It's all over the left side of his face, of his hair and all over his body.

"It won't come off!" he groans in frustration. I smirk and punch the lock.

"Let me help you."

…..a…..

We didn't have sex. We almost did, many times, but we didn't.

Because it's the middle of the day.

"Tonight we need to sneak out and go Christmas shopping. Kilee can just sleep in our bed tonight." Peeta whispers.

"Do you think she knows?" I whisper. "She's eleven Peeta, it's possible she knows. Someone at school told her, or she found out."

"I don't know…" he whispers. I sigh and walk out of the bathroom.

"Nap time," I say when I get downstairs.

"No! I'm not tired!" Hallie whines.

"Well I don't care. Let's go, all of you." Kilee starts to get up. "Not you, you don't need a nap." I say.

"Well…" she shrugs.

"That's not fair! Why doesn't Kilee have to take a nap!" Brennan whines.

"You like her more! I was here first!" Bailee says.

"Stop it, all of you. Your mother and I love all of you the same. Stop whining or you're in our room for the rest of the day. Kilee is older than all of you. She doesn't need a nap anymore, just like you won't, one day. Now go, upstairs to bed."

"But-" Hallie begins.

"What did I say about arguing?" Peeta cuts her off sternly. "Go."

"But Daddy-" Baille begins her sweet talk.

"Go!" Peeta shouts. Their faces contort in anger and the three of them scurry past.

"But Daddy, are you sure?" Brennan asks. Peeta whips around.

"Yes Brennan, go." I say before Peeta starts shouting.

He gets stressed out and pissed off when the kids don't listen, and it puts him in a pissed off mood for the rest of the day. He started screaming at Hallie for once because she told me to stop talking. The family was there when that happened. He had locked himself in our room for the rest of the day, and when I went up to bed, he asked me if he was a terrible person.

He _hates _yelling at the kids.

I told him he wasn't a terrible person for yelling at them because they're not going to learn a thing. If your nice and just talk to them instead of punishment, they're going to be used to a lecture instead of getting something taken from them.

Peeta exhales, and his face is red from anger at the fact that everyone is staring at him. "You guys have a whole room to look at!" He says in an irritated manner. Everyone looks away.

"Someone needs a nap more than the kids…" Johanna grumbles.

"You know what, you can leave." He snaps.

"No she can't. Don't leave Johanna. Come here, Peeta." I grab his hand and he starts to pull away, but I tug roughly, clearly telling him I'm making him come with me if he wants to or not.

"No Johanna, leave." Peeta snaps.

"No Johanna, don't leave." I drag him upstairs and slam our bedroom door. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry." He exhales loudly. "I'm just stressed and I don't want to go away and I'm going to miss huge steps in Tristen's life and everyone was staring at me like I just hit the kids. Is it wrong of me to yell at them? I hate myself so much right now, they didn't even do anything and I shouted at them!" he continues to rant, and I push him down on the bed and tuck him in.

"Shhh, stop Peeta. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Shhh, calm down." I put my hands on his cheeks and run my thumbs across them. "Shh," I kiss him gently. "Shh, Johanna's right. You do need a nap. Go to sleep, I'll handle it." I plant multiple kisses on his forehead, running one hand through his hair in a soft motion while the other rests on his belly.

After a while, he drifts off to sleep. I kiss his forehead one last time and check on the kids. They're not in bed.

I'm not angry, and I'm not surprised.

I know that they're downstairs, sobbing.

I twirl my wedding band and engagement ring around my ring finger, get Tristen as he starts to cry and go downstairs, handing him to Johanna, who demands to have him.

I was right about them crying.

"He hates me Grandma! He hates me! Daddy hates me!" Brennan sobs on my mothers lap.

Nobody can console them.

"Come here," I say. They get up and walks over to me.

"He hates me Mama. Daddy hates me!" Bailee cries.

"No he doesn't. People have moments guys. This is one of Daddy's. He doesn't hate you. He'll be back to normal when he wakes up." Kilee speaks up.

"Your sister is right. Daddy loves all of you. All five very, very much. He'll be back to normal when he wakes. Just give him some time." I soothe.

"What if he doesn't go back to normal Mama? Is Daddy going to be like Andrew?" Hallie sniffs.

"No."

"Who's Andrew?" Kilee asks. Johanna starts filling Kilee in.

"He dropped Hal-"

"Shhh!" Johanna exclaims. Kilee silences.

….a….

I finally got the kids to sleep, and I carried them upstairs. It's seven and we haven't made dinner or anything.

Mama cut off in mid-sentence and then every goes dead silent, glaring at something over my shoulder. Not Kilee though. She's leaning onto my shoulder, half awake. I look behind me to see Peeta at the foot of the stairs. He's clearly ashamed of himself and he's silent.

"Stop or leave." I snap at everyone. "We've all made mistakes before. Stop pinning this against him. You guys don't even know the half of it."

"What is it, then?" Johanna demands. Peeta hesitantly moves into the living room and sits down next to me.

PEETA'S POV

Katniss looks to me, clearly asking if I want to tell them right now. I sigh.

"I'm going out of town for a year…I leave on January second and I'll only be stopping in for birthdays and holidays." I admit.

"Why?" Kilee demands.

KATNISS'S POV

"Because I have to for work." Peeta answers for her.

"An entire year? You're going to miss all the important stuff in Tristen's life!" Mama exclaims

"Why do you think he's getting upset for?" I snap, resting my left hand on Peeta's thigh, atop right hand. His left hand moves to my ring finger and he begins to play with the rings.

"I guess I can see why he shouted at the kids…" Haymitch says.

"Mmm hmm," I say, slightly annoyed.

"Where am I sleeping tonight?" Kilee asks. "I can sleep on the floor or the bathtub. Or outside, at least I'll have a house."

"You're sleeping in our bed." I say, running my fingers through her hair.

….s…..

"Babe, wake up, Katniss!" I sit up, and see Peeta standing at my beside, completely dressed even though its midnight.

"What?" I demand.

Then I remember I'm fully dressed.

Oh yeah, we have to go Christmas shopping.

"Why can't you just go?" I whisper, careful not to wake Kilee, who is right next to me. He sighs.

"Aright," he heads for the door.

Then I remember he's leaving for a year and this is probably the only alone time I'll have with him.

I jump up and hurriedly get ready and run downstairs while pulling on my coat. He stops when he sees me. "I changed my mind." I say when I get in the car.

"I was hoping you would." He says. "Okay, lets read these lists." He says.

"I'll start with Kilee." I say. "I took pictures of the stuff in her notebook and we'll just add to it." I say.

"Okay," he agrees.

"Alright…I'll read everything she doesn't have. A teddy bear, a bike, blue like the sky, posters of Debby Ryan, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Christina Perri CD's…that's it." I say. _She was destined to be my daughter if she loves Christina Perri._

"Okay…I say we do all of that…lets get her something else though…let's get her an iPod 4 or something. Or a five." He says.

"An iPod?" I repeat.

"Yeah I mean…she is 11, and if she has insternet she can text us and we'll be able to facetime…"

"Alright…lets not waste money on a four though because she's going to want an update soon enough, so lets just get her the five. The blue one, since its her favorite color." I say.

"I agree, but lets have Apple set it up with restrictions. I don't want her watching porn or something."

"She's eleven, Peeta." I say.

"I don't care! You know a four year old raped his two year old sister? We're getting restrictions on it!" He exclaims.

"Okay, I'm just saying she won't be watching porn." I say.

"I know she won't, because it will be _restricted_." He says. I sigh.

I don't say a work, I jusrt start writing down Kilee's new list.

"Now for the dreadful part." I grumble.

Every single year the kids want like eighty things, and the one year they didn't, the things they did want were so expensive that we spent a thousand dollars on each of them.

Peeta laughs. "Let's get this over with." He says.

"Okay, Hallie wants…I don't know what this means. It says D-E-S-P-I-C-B-L-E me too M-O-V-E-E." I say.

"Despicable me two the movie." Peeta says. "She wants that really bad, write that down." I write down on Kilee's list. "Okay, Crayons 200 piece case."

"That's 44 dollars. I looked it up the other day."

"For _crayons_? They're just going to break. We can get her the box with twelve." I say. I write that down. "Paper for the crayons, marker airbrush, walkie talkie, hungry hippos, big teddy, a green bean bag chair, a blue DSI, Barbie's and Ken, Barbie dolly house, it bob-what the hell is that?" I ask.

"It bob?" he repeats.

"It bob…"

"Maybe Bob It?" he asks.

"Bop it!" I exclaim. "That makes more sense_._Okay, Barbie corvette, pink doctor kit, Barbie cruise ship…" I stare at what's next. "Shit Peeta, she wants a puppy." I say.

"What?" he takes the paper from my hand and reads it over, his eyes flicking to the road and back to the paper. "Dammit…whatever, we'll figure it out, keep reading."

"Okay…bitty baby, clothes for bitty baby, crib for bitty baby, stroller for bitty baby,m Julie Alright American doll, Julie bed, a lot of clothes for baby, baby alive with tons of diapers for baby to pee pee in, horsey…that's it." I say.

We start to pick out everything she's going to get, and after a very long discussion and argument, we head towards New York City and agree to let her get the DSI.

"Aw, look at this. Her note to Santa is 'Dar Santa, can you please get me everything on my list? I'll be your bestest friend.'." Peeta smiles and I laugh.

"Okay, what next?" he asks.

"Bailee's. She wants Despicable Me two, the airbrush thing, hungry hippie…" we both burst out laughing. "Hungry Hippo…fuck Peeta, she wants a puppy too." He sighs. We go through her list, and Brennan's.

He wants a puppy too. "Maybe we get them a stuffed dog?"

"No, Brennan speciffcally said 'a puppy that lives'," I say.

"Fuck…do you even want a dog?" he asks.

"No." I grumble. "I mean…I love dogs, but I don't want one."

"Maybe we should get them one and tell them they have to take care of it and if they don't it goes back to the pound." He says. I bite my lip.

"Alright," I sigh.

…az…

We didn't get home until noon, and we sneak everything into the basement in Peeta's closet, lock the doors and go upstairs.

"Where have you guys been?" Hallie demands.

"We were downstairs the whole time…" Peeta says. All the adults know where we were, but the kids don't.

"I want down there and nobody was there. I even called your name." Kilee insists.

"Well…" Peeta shrugs. "We didn't hear you…"

"Are we gonna do my room now?" she asks.

_Dammit. I completely forgot that. I'm exhausted…_

_But I did go three days before…_

"Alright…just give me a second."

I go and make a ton of coffee.

…a…

I'm just going downstairs to change the laundry over after doing Kailee's room just before going to bed when Hallie and the kids stop me.

"Mama, who is Santa supposed to find the house if it's not lit up?" Bailee asks.

"He knows where to go." I say.

"How though? If he can't see then he can't find the house."

"That's what Rudolph is for." I say.

"Mama, I don't think it will work. Can we light up the house? Please will you take us to the store so we can get decorations?" Kilee begs.

"I'm really tired guys…"

"But please? Santa can't come if he can't see where he's going Mama!" Brennan begs. I run a hand through my hair.

"Alright, fine, but I'm taking a nap first." I look at the clock. "Wave me up at five thirty and we'll go, okay?"

"It's three thirty though! That's two whole hours Mama!" Hallie whines.

"It's either two hours or we don't go at all." I say.

"Fine." She sits down on the floor and starts pouting. Peeta is standing in the doorway of the kitchen,and the rest of the family is watching because it's happening right in front of them.

"Quit pouting. Your seven years old, starts acting like it." I scold her. I stand her up and she sits right back down. "Fine, we're not going." I head for the stairs.

"No Mama! I'm playing!" she hugs my foot and sits down. "I'm playing Mama! We can wait 4 hours!" She begs. "Please! Santa can't come without lights, right guys?"

"Right! Please Mom?" Kilee asks.

"Please?" Brennan begs.

"Mama, please?" Bailee whines. Tristen makes noises, trying to say please.

"Get up." I say to Hallie. She stands up. "If you stop pouting forever. You can't ever pout every again. If you do, I'm going to take away_everything_ Santa gives you."

"Everything?" she repeats.

"Everything," I confirm. "And the family are witnesses."

"Okay Mama, we'll wake you up at five thirty." Hallie says.

"Okay," I turn around and go upstairs. Peeta follows me, and I'm not even enveloped in his arms before I'm asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

"Mama!" The four of them are jumping on our bad, waking both Peeta and I.

There is no way in hell it's five thirty. I groan loudly. "Wake me at six." I steal Peeta's pillow and shove it over my head. Kilee doesn't hesitate to sit down right on my back and pull the pillow off me.

"You agree to take us to get lights at five thirty! It's five forty! We waited ten minutes! Get up Mama!" Kilee says. I sigh loudly and roll over, careful not to throw her off the bed. Shhe stays seated on my stomach.

"Fine. Let me go take a shower." I say.

"What! No Mama!" Hallie whines.

"I'll be out in five minutes." I grumble. "Get off me Kilee." She slides off of me and I get up, throwing Peeta's pillow at him face. "Get dressed. If I'm going, so are you." I say.

"Fine." He grumbles.

…a….

They don't get le get just enough lights to string the house.

Oh no, my darling children make me get almost seven light up trees, candy canes to go in the dirt up the driveway, a string of lights to come off the house and to the floor, lights for all the trees in the front year, a Santa and his sleigh, all life sizes in mid-flight, all light up, snowmen and a village set.

Oh and lets not forget the seventeen arches start from the fucking road all the way top the garage door.

"You guys are so lucky that I love you." I grumble as I pay the seven hundred dollars. "These better last till all of us are dead." I say. Peeta laughs and slings his arm around my shoulder.

We get to the car, and the Christmas music starts to piss me off so I put in my Christina Perri album.

I _live _for her voice.

"Wait…is…this is Christina Perri! Mama, you like her?" Kilee demands.

"I love her. I live for her music." I prop my feet on the dashboard and flick through the numbers till I hit Bluebird.

I start to sing along, and after a wave of shyness, Kilee sings with me.

…..a…..

"You will not believe what I just found!" Mama exclaims the second we walk in the door.

"And what's that?" I ask.

"The family videos! They're of you two when you were Hallie's age on Christmas!"

"Of Mom and Dad?" Kilee asks.

"Yeah!"

"No way!" Johanna exclaims. "Well plug that shit into the TV!"

With help of Finnick, they manage to get the video on the TV.

"I already don't like this." I say quietly.

"Why? You can't even see anything!" Mama exclaims. "Katniss, you were seven, Johanna too, Prim was two, Peeta you were eight." She presses play. "Opal, you were…I think you were seven too."

"Oh god, what am I wearing?" I ask.

"A sheet. You were obsessed with sheets." Aunt Kari answers.

"Do I even have underwear on?" I ask.

"No," Haymitch says.

Peeta snickers.

"_Turn this way." Mama says. Peeta, Opal, Johanna and Prim all turn towards the camera, but I ignore, my back still turned. "Katniss, turn this way honey." Mama says._

"_Why? I wanna count the presents Mama!" I exclaim._

"_Come on Katniss! We have to wait for you!" Peeta exclaims._

"_Yeah Brainless!" Johanna exclaims. _

_I continue to ignore them. "twenty four, twenty five…" I keep counting. Cinna eventually walks over and turns me around. "Now I lost count Cinna!" I whine. _

"_Don't you want to open your stocking, Katniss?" Daddy asks in the background. _

"_Yes." I turn around and grab my stocking, dumping it on the floor in front of me. _

"_I got chocolate!" I squeal. _

We are all laughing at me.

"_Hey, me too!" Peeta grins. _

"_Can I have it, Peeta?" I ask with a sweet grin. _

"_No." he says. "Well…okay." He hands me all his chocolate. _

"_Katniss, that's Peeta's, you don't need all that." _

"_Why not?" I ask._

"_Look Katniss, this one is yours." Mrs. Mellark speaks up. She hands me a present. _

_We all rip stuff open and there's squeals and paper flying everywhere._

The video ends and another starts up.

It begins with "I gave my kids a terrible present"

"Oh god, I remember this." Mama says. "This does not end well on Katniss's part."

"_Okay guys, ready? This is the only present you get today." Haymitch warns. It's me, Johanna, Peeta and Opal sitting on the couch. We have boxes in our hands. I'm probably nine. "Okay, open." _

_We starts ripping our gifts open, and the look on my face is of pure joy and excitement. I rip the box off the top of the box and pull out the tissue paper. _

_My face falls and I stare inside the box. Peeta, Johanna and Opal stop when they see the look on my face. _

"Am I crying?" I ask my Mom.

"Just wait…" she pats my hands.

_I look into the camera. "What…what the heck is this?" I grab a box of tampons and hold it up. Peeta bursts into hysterics. "Shut up Peeta!" I scream at him, standing up. "This is terrible! This is child abuse!" I shriek. _

"_Don't you like it honey? You're nine now. You'll start your period in a few years." Mama says. Peeta laughs harder. I open the box, pull out two tampons and shove them up him nose. _

_Then I burst into tears and start running around the living room, screaming and throwing a fit. Peeta pulls the tampons out of his nose and finishes opening his present. _

_He too, starts crying and running around the living room. "I don't wear bras! I'm a boy!" _

_Opal opens her gift and pulls out socks. _

"_Socks!" she shrieks. _

_She joins our screaming and crying. _

_Johanna shrugs and opens her gift and pulls out a rubber band._

_She shoots it to her father and joins us. _

_We keeps screaming and running and crying. _

"_Hey! Calm down!" Haymitch screams. _

_We stop running, the four of us turn right to Haymitch, and then, I scream, "FUCK YOU AND THIS FUCKING FAMILY YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES!" _

_Then I turn around and bolt for the door. _

_My father and Haymitch, who looks furious, bolt after me. Johanna, Opal and Peeta run ouot the front door. _

"_I can't believe my nine year old daughter just said that!" Mama gasps. _

"_I thought they would cry, but I wasn't expecting that." Mrs. Mellark agrees. They go outside, Mama with the camera. I can see me running down the street with Peeta, Johanna and Opal at my side. I almost get hit by a car, and I keep running. I get so far that Dad has to call the police. _

_When they get there, the camera goes dark. _

"Fuck!" Hallie says happily. I look up at her, my eyes dark with fury.

"Don't say that word." I say. "Do as I say, not as I do." 

"Can I say asshole?" Hallie asks.

"No. If I ever hear the word leave your lips again, I'll wash your mouth out with hot sauce. That goes for all of you." I warn.

"What does asshole mean though, Mama?" Hallie asks. I whip around.

"Katniss, come here," Peeta pulls me out front.

"Don't you dare-"

"Wait. She just learnt the word from you. You can't punish her for saying something she learned from you." he says. "And it's considered child abuse."

"Did you actually think I was going to do it? I'm just trying to scare her. I'm not going to…god Peeta, I can't believe you think I would do that!" I hiss.

He's silent for a moment. "Well you seemed pretty serious."

"Well I wasn't." I go back in the house.

"Mama please tell me what asshole means!" Hallie begs.

"It's a very nasty, inappropriate, rude and disrespectful word for bottom. Don't say it. Ever, do you understand?"

"I understand Mama. I'm sorry for saying it. I didn't know Mama. I'm sorry." She hugs me, since I'm kneeling in front of her.

"It's okay," I kiss her cheek. "Now let's go decorate a house."


	13. Chapter 13

"Shh, we need to be practically silent." I hiss to Peeta.  
Him and I both know that the kids are not asleep, and since all of them think Santa is real, we have to be practically silent.  
Peeta and I haven't wrapped a single gift and we have over a hundred.  
Everyone is sleeping upstairs, all the kids are in Kilee's room.  
We haven't gotten the puppy yet, and we found a 24 hour puppy mill. I called and begged them for six hours the other day that thy would be open till at least 3 on Christmas Eve.  
"Do you want help wrapping?" Mama asks.  
"Please! We have to go out." I whisper.  
"Okay, we'll help." Mama whispers. All the adults move downstairs and start to wrap everything. Peeta and I run off to the puppy mill.  
"Are you the people that were on the phone for six hours, begging us to open on Christmas eve?" The lady asks when we walk in. I sigh.  
"Yeah, we have five kids and they don't know about Santa and we can't hide a puppy in the house because they're brilliant and rambunctious and they'll find the dog." I sigh.  
"Wow…well we have one dog that is absolutely perfect for kids. He's a golden retriever. He's only two months old, so he'll need training, but he doesn't pee inside anymore…"  
"Let's see him." Peeta says. The lady leads us to the back to a room.  
I see many adorable puppies, but I fall in love with the one the lady is showing us. It's just like any golden retriever, golden. It's eyes make you melt. It licks me cheek the second it sees me. Peeta kneels down beside me and it laps at his cheek too.  
"Oh my god Peeta, he's it." I say.  
"Agreed,"  
"You want him?" the lady asks.  
"Yes."

….a…..

It takes three hours to finalize papers, we get home at four because we had to stop at the store for puppy stuff and go in through the basement.  
They're only halfway done. The dog is so tired that it falls asleep in the box. Peeta and I dive in and start putting stickers on the boxes of the gifts which have sticky notes of what they are on them. We join on wrapping and then carry the gifts upstairs silently and set them under the tree. The living room is full and there is no room for walking. We leave the puppy downstairs asleep and the guys shoves the cookies down their throat and then Haymitch chugs the milk. We sneak upstairs and I peek my head into Kilee's bedroom to see everyone asleep.

…..a…..

"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP ITS CHRISTMAS WAKE UP!" the kids scream, jumping on our bed, shouting and squealing. I look at the clock to see it's five thirty.  
We've been asleep for ten minutes.  
"No." Peeta says.  
"BUT DADDY! IT'S CHRISTMAS WAKE UP PLEASE DADDY JUST SO WE CAN OPEN THEN YOU GO BACK TO SLEEP PLEASE! PLEASE!" They scream. I drag my exhausted butt out of bed and push Peeta off the bed. He groans and stands up.  
"Alright, let's go." He says, waving our five children and myself downstairs. I get down first, and hop my way to the open space that I purposely left. I already have the video on before the kids come down. Their faces are priceless.  
"Be careful now, don't step on anything." I smile. Kilee looks like she's about ready to pass out. Peeta puts his hand on her shoulder.  
"Okay?" he asks. She nods numbly. Everyone else starts coming downstairs and I get all the kids faces. The adults move to my tiny space.  
"We can't even get to our stockings!" Chase exclaims excitedly. Prim smiles at her son.  
"Sure you can," I say.  
"No Mama, we really can't." Hallie says.  
I hand Peeta the camera and step carefully on my tiptoes in the tiny spaces until I make it to the fireplace.  
"Chase, this is yours." I balances on my top toes on my left foot and hand it to him. "Kilee," I hand it to Chase and he hands it to her.  
I continue passing out stockings and then jump my way back to Peeta and take the camera.  
"Just stack some of them and then sit down on the floor." I suggest.  
They move quickly stacking the gifts to get them out of the way.  
"Can we open, Mom?" Chase begs Prim, who smiles.  
"Go ahead." Prim smiles.  
Paper starts flying everywhere. There is the squeal of excitement as the kids run around the living room, grabbing gifts and ripping them open. Peeta elbows me gently in the ribs and nods at Kilee. I look at her to see her staring blankly at something in her lap.  
"What is it Kilee?" I speak up. She looks up at Peeta and blankly holds up the iPod.  
We wrote 'From Mama and Daddy' on the sticker. She looks down at the iPod again and back up at Peeta and I, and both of us are just grinning like idiots.  
Then she flies up, crying and runs to both of us. She hugs me first, and then Peeta, chanting 'thank you, thank you, thank you' over and over again."  
We see all the kids sitting on the floor now, talking about their gifts, all of them done opening.  
"Wait, there's one more for our five." I speak up. Peeta goes downstairs and comes up with the box with the puppy in it, it's closed and wrapped. "This is for all five of you." I say. "From Daddy and I."  
Peeta sets the box down in front of them. Together, they carefully unwrap it, and Kilee helps Tristen pull the top off.  
"A puppy!" Bailee squeals. It leaps out of the box at the kids and all five of them turn frantic.

….a…..

I'm bounced awake again at eight by my children. "It's time for the snowball fight!" Hallie exclaims. I sit up.

This is my favorite part of Christmas, aside from the looks on the kids faces. Oh, and the same with Thanksgiving.

I get up and pull on my white clothing.

"You guys need to change." I say.

I help the kids get in all white, and then help Peeta, and we all go downstairs.

The only one not in white is Tristen because he can't play.

"I'll watch him." Mama takes Tristen off my hip.

"Alright…" Haymitch says when we're all in the backyard. I start to tug my gloves on.

I win every year, but last year, I let the kids win.

"I say…I say we do Everdeen's against Mellark's and then the Marshal's spilt up. Katniss, you get to chose who's team your one since you Katniss Joy Everdeen Mellark."

I hesistate.

If I go with the Mellark's, I'm with my kids and Peeta and Rye and Graham, but if I go with the Everdeen's, I'm with my nieces and nephews, and Prim and Alex and Johanna and Haymitch.

They're all silent, waiting for me to make my decision. Then I back up, onto the Mellark side. I get a round of cheers from their side, and a round of groans from the Everdeen side.

"Alright, choose your captains." Haymitch says.

Everyone points at me.

"Alright," I march away from everyone else and they don't hesitate to follow me.

"What do you we, captain?" Peeta asks with a grin.

Shit. Johanna is the captain.

This is not good. I test how deep the snow is.

Not deep enough for me to hide under.

I mentally swear and look around for a hiding place.

"ARE YOU READY YET!" Johanna screams.

"NO!" I scream back. "Alright…hide. Get as many snowballs as you can and hide."

"That's it?" Mr. Mellark asks wearily.

"Yes." I say. "Now…lets win." I say, high fiving everyone.

I know my kids are going to follow me.

I know where I'm going.

Our house is on a hill overlooking Lake Memphremagog.

I'm going partly down the hill to hide, and when I'm sure I'm alone, I'm going to strike.

"READY?" Johanna screams.

"YEAH!" I shout.

We move to the center field to shake hands and then back up.

"Okay…ready…set…GO!" Haymitch screams. I take off, my four kids following me as I bullet down the hill halfway before stopping and hiding behind a bush.

"What are we doing?" Kilee whispers.

"Shhh! No noises." I whisper. "Wait till everyone does the dirty work for us."

PEETA'S POV

Katniss, Bailee, Brennan, Kilee and Hallie disappeared.

I fight till the end, and Haymitch, being the last left gets out.

Haymitch against my kids and Katniss.

KATNISS'S POV

"Okay…this is going to be nearly impossible. I want you guys to go and get out." I whisper. 'Don't tell him where I am." I say.

I watch the kids till they're atop the hill and then run east of where I'm currently standing, silent on the floor.

I creep to the top of the hill and lay down, thankful for my ski mask. The kids are with Peeta, and everyone is calmly waiting.

I get a snowball and fling it at the tree branch above Haymitch. Snow falls on him, but even if he fell, it wouldn't count. It has to be the snowball that gets him out, not the damage done by the snowball.

That's enough to startle him. I load up on snowballs and wait.

"Sweetheart, I'm not moving! You might as well show yourself!"

I fling a snowball at his back and he doesn't fall, but now he knows my position. I stand up, and he looks right at me and doesn't even see me. I fling on right in his face and he doesn't fall, instead, he smirks.

"Gonna get me out, _uncle_?" I tease.

"Yes. But I'm not moving." He says.

"Oh…" I turn around and run down the hill.

He's going to come after me. We all know it.

I dive in a bush and wait till he's past me, and then I run to the top of the hill.

Just as he turns, I throw a snowball at him.

He doesn't even stumble.

"Are you wearing cleats?" I demand.

All he does is smirks and walks up the hill. I start to back up and he creeps closer and closer to me till we're neck and neck.

"You know how easily I could get you out right now?" he hisses.

"Maybe…" I run off, going in a zigzag motion so he can't hit me.

I dive in a pile of snow and crawl through it as he digs through it, and then I dive right behind him and peg three at his back, knocking him forwards into the snow pile.

I hear cheers behind me and then I'm tackled in Mellarks.

**Next chapter Peeta leaves for a year.**


	14. Chapter 14

New Year's Eve is today.

Tomorrow is January first.

And the day after that is January second.

That's the day that Peeta leaves.

I've just made the kids go to sleep.

If they don't they'll be impossible tonight and tomorrow.

Peeta's noticed my change in attitude. How I'll never let go of his hand. How I keep kissing him randomly. How my feet stay in his lap. How I follow him like a lost puppy.

Everyone has noticed, actually, and they don't say a word because they apparently understand. The kids go back to school on January third. Hallie is enrolled in Middle School and I already took her school shopping and she got her schedule. She's nervous but she doesn't seem to care.

I'm upstairs now, sitting on Peeta and I's bed, flipping through a photo album of all our years together, since we were born, till I was ten and he was eleven, then from we rejoined for my birthday till now. He's in the shower, and I think he's just trying to get away from me.

I laugh when I see a picture, one I remember very well.

We went to San Diego as a family, like everyone in the whole family, back when Bailee and Brennan were two and Hallie was three. My legs are locked around his waist and he's literally dangling me over a huge cliff, nothing but the deep crystal clear ocean beneath us.

It was so clear, but we couldn't even see the bottom. That's how deep it was.

He had let go of me, but grabbed me before I feel. I got so scared that I started screaming at him, and he had to kiss me to shut me up.

"What's wrong?" Peeta asks. I look up to see him in jeans and nothing else, aside from a few water droplets on his shoulders.

"Nothing," I say.

"Oh…" he sits down next to me and puts his arm around my shoulder. I lean against him and he places a kiss on my head. "Oh god, I remember that. You were so angry with me, and you were screaming so loud that the workers were coming to ask us to leave. I had to kiss you to calm you down. I remember we had sex right after that, at the hotel, remember?" he asks. I snort.

"Yeah, and I remember we went home early because I thought I was pregnant. It turned out to be a false alarm." I smile and he grins.

"Maybe I'll hit California in the summer and you can come with the kids?" he asks.

"I guess so." I whisper.

He sighs. "I'm going to miss you and the kids."

"I'm going to miss you too. I'm nervous."

"For what baby?" he asks.

"For raising five kids alone without you. I'm afraid the kids are going to give me a hard time."

"I'll help you, Mama." Kilee says quietly. We look up to see her standing in the doorway. "I was coming to ask if I could borrow your charger for my iPod…Tristen broke mine…"

"Go ahead, I'll go and get you a new one when you're at school on Monday." I tell her.

"Okay. Thanks." She takes my phone charger and leaves.

"You're welcome." I mumble, even though she can't hear me.

"If they give you a hard time, you call me, okay?" he asks.

"Okay," I whisper.

"Maybe we can go to California for fourth of July. I can stay there longer…and you guys can stay with me…"

I start nodding. "Sounds good." I lean my head against his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too," he murmurs, kissing me gently on the lips.

…a….

It's eleven thirty.

The kids are playing in their DSI's and with the puppy, which they named Max, and Kilee is sitting with Audrey, the two of them playing a game on her iPod.

Someone knocks on the front door.

Peeta opens it and then shuts it again. He walks back over to me and sits down.

The person knocks again, more insistent.

I start to get up, but he locks his left hand on my stomach and his right on my left knee, refusing to let me move. "Stop," I push his hands away.

"You really don't want to open that door." His voice is rough and angry, gaining everyone's attention. I stand up and rip it open anyways.

I start to close it again, but she catches it with her hand. "Please Katniss, just hear me out!" she begs.

"Why should I?" I demand.

"Because I'm the mother of your husband." She says.

"Some mother." Peeta mutters under his breath.

"Fine. You have one minute. Outside." I say.

"What? No Katniss." Peeta gets up.

I put my hand up, telling him to calm down. "Yes." I say.

"Fine. Inside though." Peeta says.

"Fine." I steps aside to let her in the house.

"I just want to start by saying that you shouldn't have sent that picture." She says.

"He is your _father _and you should know what happened." I say.

"I don't care who he is." She snaps.

"You know what, if you're here to argue, you can get the fuck out of my house." I open the front door and she sighs, but doesn't move.

"You can't tell me what to do." Mrs. Mellark snaps. "You're a terrible person and-"

"Don't talk to my Mama like that." Kilee stands up. Mrs. Mellark whips around.

"Yeah Nana, leave Mama alone!" Hallie stands beside Kilee.

"Don't be a bully!" Brennan joins Kilee and Hallie.

"Mama says to stay away from bullies." Bailee agrees, standing in front of Kilee.

"Mama is a better person than you are." Kilee defends me.

"Don't talk to me that way, you lousy children." Mrs. Mellark snaps.

"Excuse me!" I exclaim. "Who the fuck do you think you are, walking into my house and insulting my children? You can say whatever the fuck you want about me, but don't say a word about my kids. Now get the hell out of my vicinity before I call the police and get you _removed_."

"You said I had a minute." She snaps at me.

"You don't deserve a second. Leave." Peeta snaps.

She narrows her eyes and then turns around and storms out of the house. I slam the door and lock it.

I turn to my kids, who looks sad. "You guys are not lousy kids, do you hear me? If I EVER hear you believing her, I swear to god I'll ground you. I don't fucking care if your joking." I shout at them.

I don't shout at them unless I'm pissed, and I've never cursed at them. They nod. "Yes Mama." Hallie hugs me, and then they all hug me. I kiss their foreheads and lift Tristen, who fell asleep on the floor, up and sit back down on the couch. Peeta pulls me against him, and I rest my head on his shoulder as we continue with what we were doing.

Soon enough, it's midnight, and everyone is cheering.

…a….

Tonight.

It's the last time I get to be in Peeta's arms for a year, pretty much, on and off, I guess.

We don't have sex. We did that plenty of times last night.

Instead, we lay there, flush against one another, our legs tangled together, our bare stomachs pressed together, gazing into each other's eyes through the dimly lit room.

"I'm going to miss you." he kisses me for the umpteenth time tonight.

"Mm…I'm gonna miss you too." I whisper. "Are you _sure_ you have to go?" I whisper.

"Katniss, we've been over this. I have to go…there's no way around it."

"I know…I just wanted to check…for the seventeenth time." I whisper.

"We need to sleep." He whispers.

I throw my leg over his waist and place myself over his groin. "Let's tire one another out first." I grin.

….a…..

The alarm blares way too early, and he reaches over and shuts it off. He gets up and starts pulling on clothes. I do the same. "You don't have to get up." He says.

"I don't care." I whisper.

He grabs last minute things and pulls on his coat. I follow him downstairs, in a gray sweater, skinny jeans and a black tank top. I tug my boots on, too. The family left yesterday. I go upstairs and rouse the kids. They sluggishly follow me downstairs.

I think, quite honestly, that its disgusting when guys have their pants pulled up high. It's just awkward and uncomfortable for me.

Peeta is the only guy that can have his jeans pull up high and not disgust me.

He's got the ass for it.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty? Do you want me to make you coffee-"

"I'm okay, Katniss. Don't worry about me." he says.

He must know I'm going to do that anyways. "Okay…"

I hear the horn honk outside, and know that Finn, who is taking him to the airport. Kilee and I, who fully understand what is happening, just stare at him. "Well come here." He says. Brennan first. Peeta kisses her forehead and hugs him, ruffling his hair. Then Bailee. He does the same with her, and with Hallie and Kilee and Tristen. I throw my arms around his neck and pull him as close as I possibly can. He hugs me back, tightly. I kiss him, right on the lips. "Call when you land, okay?" I whisper.

"Okay," he kisses me again. "I love you. All of you."

"I love you too." We say together. He releases me, cupping my cheek for a moment.

"I'll see you guys soon." He kisses my lips again, and then all of their foreheads.

And then he's gone.


	15. Chapter 15

After dropping Bailee, Brennan and Hallie off at school, I rouse Kilee at home after setting Tristen in his bouncer.  
"Hmm?" she mumbles, rolling over.  
"Get up, you have school today, remember?" I ask. She groans.  
"I don't want to go." She complains.  
"I know, but do it anyways. Now get up or you're going to be late." I tell her. Then I go downstairs and start some pancakes.  
Peeta landed in Florida around three yesterday and he called me when he was still in the airport.  
He informed us that it wasn't snowing, and it wasn't even cold outside. It was in the eighties.  
Kilee comes downstairs just as I set the plate of pancakes in front of her. She looks shocked for a second, and then begins to eat. "What?" I ask.  
"Nothing…I'm not used to breakfast before school." She admits.  
"Well…you're not with those monsters anymore. You're with a real family with real hearts. You better get used to three meals a day. Do you need lunch money?" I ask.  
"Um…yes please." She says with her mouth full.  
"Don't talk with your mouth full," I say before heading upstairs to get her some cash.  
I only have a twenty.  
This will have to do. I go back to the kitchen and hand her the twenty.  
"That's all I have, just put it on your account." I say.  
"Okay…Mom, what if I get lost? With if people bully me?" she asks.  
"If someone bullies you, you tell me. And you won't get lost, just ask the teachers. You know one time some kid was bullying Brennan and he came home with a black eye. The kid hurt Brennan, just Hallie's cheek with a rock and pushed down Bailee. I went to the school board and got the kid in trouble. There hasn't been a problem since." I tell her. "And please just try to make friends honey." I run my fingers through her hair. She sighs and stands up.  
"Alright Mom." She puts her plate in the dishwasher and shoves the koney in her pocket. I get Tristen and bring him to the car.  
She's in a purple sweatshirt, white skinny jeans and gray vans. She gets in the front seat and I buckle in Tristen and head for her school.  
She asks me random questions till we get to her school. "Don't hesitate to text me on your iPod. You know my number, right?" I ask.  
"Yeah," she says.  
"Ad Johanna's?" I ask.  
"Yes,"  
"And Daddy's?"  
"Yeah," She says.  
"If you can't reach me text someone else and they'll get me, okay?"  
"Okay Mama,"  
"Okay, have a good day, don't forget to make friends." I say. She smiles.  
"I've got it, Mom." She says. She gets out and closes the door. People stare at her, and I can clearly see her duck her head.  
But then a girl walks over to her and says something. I see Kilee nod and smile and then the girl leads her to her friends.  
Thank the lord.  
Someone honks their horn, and I realize I'm holding up the line, so I head out of the parking lot.  
"Wanna go to the store, Tristen?"  
In the short time we've had him, he's learned words like 'Mama' and 'Daddy' and 'no' and 'yes' and 'ok'  
"Okay Mama." He says.

….a….

The house is way too loney without Peeta.  
I end up falling asleep.

PEETA'S POV

I'm just filling out paperwork with my phone rings with a number I don't recognize.  
I answer it anyways.  
"Daddy?" Kilee sounds desperate, and I can hear panic in her voice.  
"Ki? What's wrong?" I ask. I can hear a loud sigh of relief.  
"I called Mama and I called Aunt Jo and Aunt Prim, Uncle Finn, Aunt Annie and Alex and Dustin and nobody will answer the phone. It's five and I'm stilly at school."  
"Your still at school?" I repeat.  
"Yes and I can't get anybody to answer the phone. Daddy, what do I do?"  
I sigh.  
"I'll call you back, okay?"  
"Okay."  
I hang up and dial Katniss. No answer. I call everyone else and nobody answers. I even try the house.  
Then I call Gale. "Peeta, what's up?"  
"I need a huge favor." I say.  
"Anything." Gale says.  
"I need you to go to my house and see what is going on."  
"Sure."

KATNISS'S POV

Someone is viciously shaking my shoulder. I sit up and see Gale before me, holding Tristen.  
"You know it's six, right?"  
"It's six!" I exclaim.  
"Yes."  
"Oh fuck! Fuck, fuck!" I grab Tristen and run for the car after pulling on my shoes. Hurriedly, I buckle him in and head for Hallie, Bailee and Brennan's school. They get out at two forty five and it's six. That's almost four hours.  
I don't see them outside and I start having a panic attack as I pray to god they're in the building. I pick up Tristen and head in the office.  
They're sitting there with the secretary and she's trying to console them and they're crying.  
I'm a terrible mother.  
"Mama!" They hug me.  
"I am so sorry. I fell asleep and I didn't hear my phone...I'm really, really sorry."  
The secretary nods and it's clear I'm not forgiven.  
I lead the kids out and into the car and buckle Tristen again.  
It's six thirty and Kilee's school is a half hour away. I head for her.

PEETA'S POV

She calls me again at six thirty and she's crying now.  
"She still hasn't come?" I demand.  
"No! I don't know what to do! Should I walk?"  
"No! Kilee it's too cold for you to be walking and it's too dangerous. I'll have to call the police or something. Maybe something happened to her. Stay on the phone. If she's not here by seven, I'm calling, okay?"  
"Okay." She whispers.  
"Where are you?" I ask  
"I'm sitting outside. I got a texting app and it has calls."  
"Okay."  
I continue filling out papers and I know I'm on speaker.  
"Dad?" She whispers.  
"Yeah?" I ask.  
"I'm scared. There's these guys across the street on motorcycles and they're staring at me." She whispers. "And they're really tall and big. And now they're walking towards me."  
Oh shit! A gang?

KATNISS'S POV

I see Kilee sitting outside with large guys surrounding her and she's screaming into a phone and crying and I can hear her telling one if the guys not to touch her.  
She doesn't notice me pulling in. "Stay in the car. If you get out you'll never see the sun again."  
Then I get out and I can hear her screaming and begging Peeta to do something and he's on the other line.  
"Touch my fucking daughter and I'll beat your goddamn ass." I say loudly.  
"Mom!" Kille exclaims, relieved.  
"Get in the car." I say. She stands up, walking past the huge guys and gets in the car. "Who the hell do you think you are? Don't go near my daughter or I'll kill you! Don't touch my kid!"  
"Sorry." They walk past me and disappear.  
When we arrive at the house, my phone stops ringing and then starts up again.  
I have eighteen missed calls, and all of them are from Peeta.  
"Why don't you guys go and start your homework." I say quietly, knowing that I'm about to get shouted at for being irresponsible.  
The kids, even though they're young, know it too. Kilee takes Tristen upstairs with her and I hear four doors shut.  
Then I press answer as the nineteenth call begins.  
"Peeta," I breathe.  
"Are you okay? Is Kilee okay? Is everyone okay? Katniss, I'm coming home."  
"Whoa Peeta, calm down baby. We're all fine." I say.  
"Are you guys okay?" He demands again.  
"We're okay Peeta, we're good. No, we're great. Don't worry about us baby."  
"I have to worry about you guys because your the reason I live. Are you okay?"  
"Peeta, I'm fine." I say, opening up the fridge and getting the chicken out as I start a pot of water.  
"Katniss, you nearly gave me a heart attack." He sniffs.  
"Are you crying?" I whisper.  
"I'm about to! One second, the line was silent as Kilee and I waited and then she said that these guys were walking towards her and then she starts sobbing and screaming and then I heard a car and then you said something I didn't quite catch and then the line went dead and I've been sitting here for almost an hour debating whether or not to go home it call Finnick."  
"Peeta, baby, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to...I fell asleep and my phone was on silent and then Gale woke me and I left had for forgotten my phone-god, I'm a terrible mother. I should be the one out of town, not you. You know what your fucking doing when it cones to kids, I can't do shit-"  
"You can do it. You can Katniss, you can." He says.  
Max barks insistently at me. "Hang on," I tell him. "One of you need to come down here and feed him! Daddy and I told you guys that we're not taking care of him! We weren't kidding about taking him back to the pound!" I call from the kitchen. I hear footsteps and then Brennan walks into the kitchen. "No Peeta, I really can't. It's impossible."  
"Nothing is impossible. You just have to believe." He says. I start to cook the chicken as I dump a box of Mac and cheese into the boiling water. I accidentally drop the box in.  
"Crap," I stick my hand in the boiling water and pull out the box, shouting in pain as I start the water.  
"What?" Peeta demands.  
"Nothing. I just...you know damn well that I can't cook anything but cereal. Just another thing your better at."  
"What happened Mom?" Kilee calls.  
"Nothing!" I call back.  
"Katniss, I have to go..." I hear him sigh sharply. "I'll call you before bed." He says.  
"Okay. I love you." I whisper.  
"I love you too." He murmmers.  
"Peeta? Can you do something for me?" I ask.  
"Anything." He says.  
"Sleep without a shirt on tonight?"  
He coughs, "why?"

PEETAS POV

It's very uncomfortable with my wife telling me to sleep half naked and a complete stranger waiting for me to finish the damn paperwork.  
"You don't have to...just to get a vision, I guess." She mumbles.  
"Alright. Okay, I really have to go now. I love you."

KATNISS'S POV

"I love you too." I mumble.  
I finish dinner at eight and call the kids downstairs.  
"Mama, why didn't you come get us today?" Brennan asks me as he eats.  
"Because I fell asleep. I'm sorry about that guys...it won't happen again, I promise." I say.  
It's oast their bedtime. Kilee goes to bed at nine and the kids go to bed at seven thirty. It's eight.  
I check their homework and make them bathe and put them to bed.

I stay up till four that night in hopes he's going to call like he said he would.  
He doesn't.  
Eventually, I take some NyQuil and go to sleep.

...9...

I begin to grow accustomed to an empty bed. I feel like I'm twenty again, sleeping alone.  
I don't let him come for my birthday because he gets to come home sooner, and he didn't come for Valentines day.  
We don't go to California for forth of July.  
In fact, we don't go to California at all.  
But then September rolls around.  
The kids are at school and Tristen is asleep upstairs.  
Today is Hallie's birthday.  
I drink half of my water and walk out of the kitchen.  
I haven't talked to him in two weeks because I've been so busy. My phone begins to vibrate insistently on the coffee table and I pray to god it's him and I almost start crying when I see it is him.  
"Peeta?" I ask.  
"Hey baby," he says. His voice makes me melt. "Can you do me a huge favor?" He asks.  
"Anything." I reply.  
"Can you come to the airport?" He asks. "The one in Newport?"  
"Now?" I ask.  
"Right now."  
I look at the time and see I have to pick up Brennan, Bailiee and Hallie in a half hour. Newport is a half hour from here.  
"Give me a second, I'll call you right back, okay?"  
"Okay," he says.  
I hang up and dial Prim. No answer. I dial Alex. "Hey Kat," he says.  
"Hey, are you going to pick up Chase?" I ask.  
"Yeah, why?" He asks.  
"Can you pick up the kids? Peeta's home and I need to go get him from the airport." I say.  
"Sure," he says.  
"Thanks. Don't tell them he's home. Tell them I had to take Tristen to the doctors, okay? I'll call when I'm coming to pick them up." I say.  
"Alright, you can drop Tristen off." He hangs up and I grab random stuff and pick Tristen out of his crib and buckle him into the car. I head for the airport as I dial Peeta, stopping to drop Tristen at Prim's.  
"Hey," he says.  
"I'm on my way. I'll be there in..." I see the traffic and sigh. "An hour. Traffics backed up all the way down the highway."  
"That's okay, Katniss. I can wait." He says.  
"Okay. I'm gonna go. I love you."  
"I love you too, bye." He says.  
"Bye," I hang up.  
If Peeta were driving, we'd probably get there in an hour because he follows every law. But we get there in fourth five hours because I don't. I go at my own pace and make the rules on the way.  
Unless there's a cop around, that's the only time I follow the rules. I have to park far because it's packed with people.  
I'm so excited to finally see the last piece of my family that I'm almost crying as I walk into the airport.  
The second our eyes lock, tears start sliding down my cheeks as I run for him. People stop to watch as I fly into his arms. He twirls me around, burying his head in my shoulder. I melt into him, not about to let go. "I've missed you so much." I whisper.  
And I'm at home, right in his arms. "I don't want to go back," he murmurs.  
"How many restaurants did you get open?" I ask, pulling away to kiss him.  
"I don't know…the east coast and some on the west." He kisses me again.  
"Then don't go back." I mumble against his lips. He starts to walk forwards, urging me to follow him. I lead him towards the car, and he drives us somewhere deserted and stops the car.  
"I may not…" he pulls me onto his lap and starts heavily kissing me.  
The stupid, logical part of my mind is telling me we can't have sex, but the needy, smarter part of my mind is screaming at the logical part to fuck off.  
I go with the needy part.

…s….

I ditch Peeta at Prim's house and head to pick up Kilee.  
She's hysterical when she gets in the car.  
"What?" I demand. She drops her iPod in my lap and her earbuds and her CD case and buries her head in her hands. "Kilee, what happened?" I ask.  
"I-I'll tell you when we're out of the car." She chokes out.  
She's still hysterical when we walk in the door and e makes the smiles and laughter cut off.  
"What happened?" Peeta asks. She hugs him, in an attempt at a hello and then grabs a mainla envelope from her bag and hands it to me.  
She moves all the way across the room from me. Everyone stares at me as I pull the formal piece of paper from the envelop and unfold it.

To the parents/guardian of Kilee Marissa Mellark.  
We are so sorry to inform you that your daughter has been...

Not given detention, or suspension.  
No. Kilee's been given expulsion.

Expelled for drinking, cursing and beating a sixth grade named Jordan Trillcon. The girl is been rendered unconscious in the hospital.  
Sincerely,  
Boggs.

PEETAS POV

The look on Katniss's face goes from worried to shocked to just absolutely livid.  
And it terrifies all of us. Hallie, Bailee, Brennan and Tristen hide behind me.  
"Mom-" Kilee begins.  
"Are. You. Kidding?" Katniss says under her breath.  
"What's it say?" Prim demands.  
"To the parents/guardian of Kilee Marissa Mellark.  
We are so sorry to inform you that your daughter has been EXPELLED for drinking, cursing and beating a sixth grade named Jordan Trillcon. The girl is been rendered unconscious in the hospital.  
Sincerely,  
Boggs."  
What.

KATNISS'S POV

"Drinking?" I ask.  
"Mom-" she tries again.  
"Cursing?" I add.  
"Mom-"  
"You beat a girl so bad that she's unconscious in the hospital!"  
"It's no fair! It wasn't just me and I'm the only one being punished!" She shrieks.  
"I don't care who it was and I don't care that your the only one being punished."  
"But it's not fair-"  
"Well sometimes life isn't fair. Your grounded for...your grounded for nine months-"  
"Mom!" She protests.  
"I don't want to hear it! Go get in the car! Don't expect to have your iPod or your music. No TV, no phone, no music. I don't care how bored you are! You better start reading! You are going to work your butt off at school and your going to make straight A's-"  
"That's nearly impossible!" She exclaims.  
"No it isn't Kilee Marissa! You are going to go to school, come home, do you homework, take a shower and go right to bed." I say.  
"For nine whole months!" She gasps.  
"Do you think I'm joking? Kilee Marissa Mellark, go get in the car. If I hear you even UTTER a protest, your grounded for a year!"  
"Oh my GOD!" She storms out of the house.

KILEES POV

I want to be a daughter that can tell my Mom anything.  
But I'm not allowed to tell her what really happened.  
What had happened was I started to hang with the wrong crowd. Mom let me go to their birthday party. They got my drunk by force, forced me to take drugs by literally shoving them down my throat, then they made their brother take advantage of me and be videoed me throwing up and posted it on the school website. I cursed out Jordan Trillcon because she was the main in charge. And then I beat her up. She tripped and tumbled down the stairs and was unconscious.  
And from the camera, it seemed as if I pushed her down the stairs.  
They put a gun to my head last night. They told me if I tell a soul they'll kill me and my family.  
I'm so scared.  
Should I tell Mom anyways?  
I think I'm going to. Mom is smarter than she's given credit for.

KATNISS'S POV

Peeta does go back, two days later. Kilee seems happy without her iPod. Now it's a week later and I can't find a school that will enroll her.  
"Mom-"  
"Your supposed to be in your room." I say.  
"I know Mama, but I really have to talk to you about something." She seems scared.  
No, she seems terrified. I sigh and shut my book.  
"What?" I ask.  
"Remember when you let me go to a birthday party?" She asks.  
"Yes." I narrow my eyes.  
"Well the girls there forced me to drink and when I got drunk they forced drugs down my throat and then Jordan's brother took advantage of me-" she breaks into hysterical sobs. I bookmark my page and page and stand up. She hugs me, desperate for comfort. I give it to her.  
She's been acting different since I let her go to that damn party. I knew something was up but I didn't really know what it was.  
I text Peeta.  
Me: I hate to do this but you need to come home.  
Peeta: why?  
Katniss: it's...it's Kilee.  
I don't get a response.  
"-And when I threw up they videoed me and posted it on the school site. I cursed Jordan out and we started fighting. She fell down the stairs and she was unconcious but it looked like I pushed her!" She's screaming now. "They out a gun to my head the other night and s-said if I tel they'll kill me and my family!"  
Oh my god.


	16. Chapter 16

Peeta shows up a few hours later. Prim picked up the kids and dropped them off. Johanna and Dustin got here a while ago, Prim and Alex haven't left and Finn and Annie came with the kids a little while after Jo and Dustin.  
Kilee struggles to retell everything to Peeta.  
He doesn't know what to think. What to say.  
"And they texted me and said that I'm a bitch and a whore and that I don't have any friends and I deserved to have my innocence taken and I deserved everything." She sobs.  
"Did they specify everything?" I ask. She nods.  
"Kilee, please tell me you didn't fleece the messages." Johanna begs.  
"I didn't." She mumbles. I get up and run upstairs and get her iPod. I go back down and have her unlock it, reading through the messages.  
"Good. Don't you worry." I kiss her forehead and stand up.

...9...

"Can I help you?" The secretary at the police station asks.  
"Yes. I need to speak with an officer." I say.  
"Alright." She leads me down the hall and into a room. It's a room full of officers. "Here you go." She walks out.  
There's at least twenty police officers in here.  
"How can I help you, Mrs?" An officer asks.  
"Okay...my daughter got expelled from school for drinking, cursing and beating a kid till she passed out. But she came to me hysterical today and told me that she went to a birthday party a couple months ago. They got her drunk, then forced her to take drugs. Then the brother of Jordan raped her. They videoed her throwing up and posted it in the schools website. Then my daughter went and cursed the girl, Jordan out. They started to fight and Jordan fell down the stairs and feel unconcious. It looked like Kilee pushed her and I have proof right here that it's true. They put a gun to my daughters head last week and swore her not to tell or she would kill everyone in the family, including her."  
"Goodness. How old is your daughter, what grade is she in, what is Jordan's last name and where does Jordan go to school?" He asks.  
"My daughter is twelve. She's in seventh grade. Jordan's last name is Trillcon and they go to Derby Junior high school." I say. The twenty cops inspect the evidence I have and trace the girls number.  
Then they go pick up my whole family and then take off to the school.  
They go as far as informing the state of Kentucky and tell us that all our family there is being taken to a police station for protection.  
"This is all my fault." Kilee buries her head in her heads.  
"Hey," Peeta says softly. "This is not your fault. This is nobody's fault except for the people that did this to you." He soothes. I snort.  
"It's definitely my fault." I stand up and begin to pace.  
"No it's not." Kilee says.  
"Yes it is. Had I made you stay home-"  
"How were you supposed to know that was going to happen?" Peeta cuts me off.  
"I wasn't but-"  
"But what? Katniss, if I went back to Arizona because you'd have told me to and the plane exploded, would you blame yourself because I died when you didn't even know the plane was going to explode?"  
Way to give me anxiety, Peeta Ryan.  
"Yes. If I hadn't told you to go-"  
"You couldn't have possibly known the plane was going to explode." He says.  
"I would still blame myself because I would feel guilty and not know what to do because in a terrible wife and mother and I hardly deserve to live!" I storm off to the bathroom, locking the door behind me.  
"Mom! Come back!" Kilee begs.  
"She will Ki. Give her time." Peeta says.  
I fucked up and let Kilee go to that girls house and she had to pay the price for it.  
She got raped. She got forced to do things she doesn't want to do.  
I can head her crying outside of the door, on the couch.  
And now I know. I need to hold back my emotions for when I'm alone or just with Peeta and I need to go and I need to be strong for my kids. I need to suck her up. I can't cry or say how I feel. I need to listen to how they feel. I need to stop being weak in front of them or they'll start being exactly like me. Then I'll fuck up a whole generation and more of not only Mellark blood, but Everdeen blood. All for my own selfish reasons.  
I'm not about to fuck up the family history.  
I run my hands over my face and walk out of the bathroom.  
She's hysterical and Peeta and everyone is trying to calm her down and it's not working.  
I know what she needs. It's only been a week and I think a day. Yeah, because it's September eighth. It's been a week and a day for sure. I pull my phone out, earning a glare from the adults. I ignore them and go to my albums and type Christina Perri and out it on shuffle, turn the volume all the way up and toss it on the coffee table. The lonely starts playing as I lift Bailee out of my seat and sit down.  
"What is that going to do!" Johanna snarls. I shoot her a glare and a warning with my eyes to shut up. Kilee resumes her crying on my shoulder. I run my fingers through her hair and sing along with the music.  
The next song makes me smile. A thousand years. Peeta and I danced to this. This was our first dance.  
We all know it. I told Kilee a while ago and she smiled.

...9...

Weeks later, Kilee is back to school, she has anxiety attacks at random and refuses to to talk to anyone. She won't even talk to me or anyone in the entire family. She's gone back to her hoodies and I'm scared she won't make any friends. Peeta went back. He really was reluctant but he went.  
It's Saturday and Kilee locked herself in her room.  
She won't even come downstairs for dinner.  
I'm freaking out and overwhelmed and I grab my phone and sneak out into the backyard.  
I don't know what to do. I walk all the way across our property and sit down.  
The kids can't see me. I start crying. I don't know what to do.  
Of course Peeta decided now is the first time to call me since he left.  
I know I need to answer him.  
Whatever. He's going to find out.  
"Now really isn't a good time." I tell him.

PEETAS POV

She's crying. I can hear it in her voice. She's trying to be secretive.  
And her 'now isn't really a good time' excuse is because she doesn't want me to know she's crying.  
"Katniss, what happened?" I ask her softly. She starts to ramble and I can't understand a word she says but I feel terrible for leaving. "Katniss baby. Slow down honey, I can't understand you." I say gently. She exhales.  
"I can't do this Peeta I need you. I can't do this. Hallie, Bailee and Brennan keep asking me about the Easter bunny and Santa and they keep asking me 'does daddy still care' and I don't know what to tell them! And then Kilee won't speak she won't shower she won't drink and she won't eat and I can't do this because I'm not capable of helping and comforting them. That's always your strong point! Peeta I can't do it anymore."

KATNISS'S POV

He's quiet for a really, really long time. I just sit there, gasping, trying to calm down.  
"Katniss," he begins.  
"Y-yeah?" I choke.  
"I'm coming home. Pick me up at six, okay?" He asks.  
"Peeta you really shouldn't-"  
"Stop. I'm coming home and there's nothing you can say to make me change my mind." He hangs up before I can say a word.


	17. Chapter 17

I manage to get Kilee out of her room to go and pick up Peeta. She still doesn't speak or eat or anything. She's already way too skinny.  
We're here twenty minutes early.  
"Kilee, will you please play dolls with me and Bailee later?" Hallie begs her for the umpteenth time.  
"She said no Hallie! Stop asking! It's annoying!" Brennan snaps.  
"Bully! Mama, Brennan hit me!" Hallie whines.  
"Did not!" Brennan says. "I didn't Mama!"  
"Did too!" Hallie snaps. They start arguing and Tristen starts crying.  
"Stop it!" I exclaim. People are starting to look at me with a disgusted look.  
"Mama, tell Brennan to stop it! He's bullying me!" Hallie whines.  
"I am not!" Brennan exclaims. They continue to argue and I swear to god, I'm about to sew their mouths shut.  
"You guys are going in your room for the rest of the night. Stop arguing and sit quietly." I say.  
"Mama! I didn't do anything!" Bailee complains.  
"You're not going in your room." I say.  
Your picking favorites!" Brennan whines.  
"You know what, I'm going to let your father deal with you when he gets here." I say. "I'm not picking favorites."  
They sit silently now. Kilee just looks annoyed. I look at the thing that says when the plane is going to be here and it has been bumped up to eight.  
It's been delayed two hours? Seriously?  
The kids are beginning to complain by six thirty. I get out a coloring book I keep in the diaper bag and rip out three pages and put them on the floor. I get out the box of the crayons and they move down to the floor and start to color. Kilee leans against me and Tristen climbs onto my lap.  
Seven thirty they're complaining about how they're 'starving'. "You know there is people in this world that are realy little and starving for real and they don't even have shoes? You're not starving."  
Hallie sighs loudly. "Please Mama? I'm hungry."  
I look at the time and see it's been bumped down to seven thirty. I look at the time. Seven thirty five. Thank god. My phone vibrates and I pull it out.  
Peeta: I just landed…you're here, right?  
Me: yeah.  
Peeta: okay, good. Do you want to go out to dinner?"  
Me: I guess…the kids are…nevermind  
Peeta: what?  
Me: oh, you'll see when you get here.  
They keep bickering.  
"Can you control your children?" a lady snaps behind me. I whip around.  
"Can you stop being so nosy?" I snap. Her eyes show anger.  
Thankfully, Peeta stands before me. Kilee seems him first, and she hugs him. The kids don't even notice.  
"No! Stop it Brennan! That was my crayon!" Hallie shouts at Brennan.  
"Mama tell Hallie to stop screaming at me!" Brennan whines.  
Peeta squats down in front of them. "How about both of you stop whining like toddlers and be big kids." Peeta says.  
I'm about to fucking scream because no matter what I do they don't stop.  
"Daddy!" Hallie hugs him and then so do Brennan and Bailee. Tristen climbs off my lap and toddles over to Peeta, who picks him up.  
"Hey Tristen buddy." Peeta smiles. He sets him back down and raises his eyebrows at me, as if asking 'what, no hug and kiss?'  
Damn, that smile. I beam and stand up. He envelops me in his arms and kisses me right on the lips. It's just a peck, but it means much more than it shows.  
"Are you the father of these children?" The lady asks behind me.  
"Yes." Peeta says.  
"Well-"  
"Oh be quiet and run a brush through your wig." Kilee snaps. The lady's jaw drops. "We haven't seen Daddy in ten months, minus two weeks. Stop complaining because my siblings were whining. If you have a problem, you can go and sit somewhere else. Your annoying and I don't like you."  
Then she turns around and stops out of the airport.

…a…

It's ten when we get home. We put the kids right to bed, and with a lot of coaxing, we managed to get Kilee to eat her entire meal. When the four young ones are completely asleep, she comes downstairs. Peeta and I are watching whale wars. I'm lying down and he's laying down and my legs are on his stomach and his legs are on my left. She walks into the kitchen for a few minutes. I hear the microwave beep and she comes back into the living room with a kids cuisine and a lunchable.  
"Mom, you know I've been coming out here after you go to bed and take food, right?" she asks as she sits down on the chair.  
"No, I didn't." I admit.  
"I can't stay here anymore." She whispers. Peeta looks at her and then presses the record button on the remote and shuts the television off.  
"Why not?" he asks.  
"Because…I sit in my room and I see them with the gun in the corner, or I see them at the front door when I'm down here. School is torture. It's like I can feel their eyes on me. When I'm in the car I feel as if you're driving me to their house. I can't do it! I'm losing my mind! Why do you think you always wake up with me in your bed each morning, Mama? Because I can't go anywhere in this house. I only feel safe around you guys! I want to move out of this state. I need to move out of this state." She falls silent.  
Peeta sighs and looks at me, and I sigh and look back. "How about you sleep and me and Mama's bed tonight and we'll sleep downstairs in the basement? Let us talk honey." Peeta says.  
"Okay…can I come down? If I have a nightmare?" she whispers.  
"Of course you can." I say in sync with Peeta.  
"Okay…goodnight. I love you guys." She whispers.  
"I love you too," I say.  
"I love you too." Peeta smiles. She smiles back and goes upstairs.  
"Let's go downstairs and go to bed…tomorrow, we'll invite the family over for dinner and tell them and see what they say. Let's just homeschool her until she's ready for public school again." he says.  
"Okay," I agree.

…..s…..

She didn't come down last night. It's three in the afternoon and I've just woken. Peeta is still in bed with me.  
"Guess I missed you so much that I couldn't bring myself to leave the bed." Peeta whispers, his lips literally right next to my ear.  
"Did you check on the kids?" I mumble, still half awake.  
"Kilee came down." He says. "Last night. She was crying. You slept right through it, but she slept with us. The kids are fine." He says.  
"Is she okay?" I crack open an eye. The light from outside is literally so bright that I pull the covers over my head.  
"She's fine. Listen, I may have promised the kids we would go to the lake today…" he whispers.  
"When did you wake up?" I ask sitting up, tears pouring down my cheeks until my eyes are adjusted to the light.  
"Um…nine…" he admits.  
"And you haven't moved?" I ask. He just smiles and wipes a stray tear away.  
"I like watching you sleep." He admits.  
"You've been watching me sleep for six hours?" I ask him, surprised. He grins.  
"Maybe…now go get ready for the lake before the kids murder me." he says. I laugh and give him a kiss.  
"Yes sir," I grin. He laughs and follows me upstairs.  
"Mama! Can we please go to the lake? Daddy promised and he's not keeping it!" Kilee begs.  
The fact that even she wants to go makes me smile. All of them are in their swimming clothing. I smile. "Yeah, just give me a few minutes to get dressed." I jog upstairs and get out my white suit. It's still a two piece. I don't know if I will ever wear a one piece.  
Then I soon realize that I can't get this suit on because it needs tied. I sigh, my back to the door.  
Someone puts their hands on my stomach and pulls me to their chest.  
It's obviously Peeta. My kids wouldn't do this and if someone got in the house the kids would be screaming.  
He spins me around and lifts me up so my legs are around his waist. I look over his shoulder to see the door is shut and locked.  
"Peeta," I warn. He smirks.  
"Yes baby?" He let's go of me but I say locked around him. Then he takes my suit from my hand and puts it on me for me.  
Then he just stares at me like I'm going to die when he puts me down. I stare back, searching his eyes, trying to find out exactly what is going on inside his head.  
He sighs. "What?" I finally demand.  
"Nothing. Your just so breathtaking. I've missed you so much." He murmurs. He wraps his arms around my back and pulls me against him. "Promise you won't let me leave again?" He whispers. I sigh.  
"I promise," I mumble into his neck.


	18. Chapter 18

"What about Kentucky?" Johanna asks. We decided not to talk about moving with the kids, so now that they're at school, we can talk freely. I sigh and bounce my tea bag up and down. I'm in a cut off tank top and my underwear, partly because I didn't know they were coming over, and because Peeta took the kids to school when I was asleep.

I don't even have a bra on. "I don't know…" I sigh.

"No. I hate to say it but it drives me absolutely bonkers how they always travel in one huge group. If we move to Kentucky we will never have any privacy and they're going to suck us into their stupid little group." Peeta says. I hop up on the counter.

"I thought I was the only one that thought that was annoying." I mumble.

"It drives me crazy too." Prim admits.

"Diddo," everyone says together.

"Well then how about California?" Alex suggests. Peeta and I both groan in protest and he sighs. "Never mind then."

"Somewhere in the upper part of the country. It's beautiful up there." Peeta says.

Oh yeah, he's been to almost every single state in this country. "And in the country. It's terrible idea to raise your kids in the city. There's too much peer pressure."

"How about….Montana?" Dustin asks.

"No." Peeta says. "The shopping there is terrible and the winters are horrid."

"Oh come on, the winters in New York were horrible too." Annie reasons.

"Well I don't want to go to Montana." Peeta says.

I can tell he's in some sort of mood today and I want to know what's wrong. I'm not going to push. He'll come to me if it's something to worry about.

"Well then we won't go to Montana." I say.

"How about…What about Colorado?" Alex asks.

"No. Colorado has the most tech-related jobs. It's sunny more than 300 days a year and if you say one thing wrong you'll practically get your front teeth knocked out. And you know how the kids are…god firbid…" I mumble.

"How do you know so much about the states?" Finn demands. Johanna snorts, as does Annie and Prim.

"Geography was her best subject. She almost always had an A in that class." Prim says.

"And she got hundreds on any state tests, even if it was about laws or anything."

"Well fine…what about Utah?" Alex asks.

"Hell no! Nothing fun is in Utah. They have one amusement park that is _worse _than it's a small world at Disney, the food is like cardboard, there's literally five clubs, the television sucks ass, practically _everything _is illegal there, traffic is terrible and the people there are assholes. We are _not_ moving to Utah." I say. Annie sighs and pulls up a map on her phone, listing off all the states.

"Fine! What about Wyoming! You can't possibly have something bad to say about that state!" Annie snaps, now pissed off at me. I sigh loudly and dump some sugar in my tea, adding a bit of honey and some milk.

"I actually have nothing bad to say about that state." I say.

"Well then go and look for a house there." Johanna says. "I can't believe you guys are fucking moving. I hate you." Peeta rolls his eyes and I just smirk.

"Love you too, fucker," I mess up her hair as I walk past her.

"Go put some fucking pants on!" she shouts after me.

"I'll put some pants on when I go out of the house. If you have a problem, you can get out. You're in my house, remember?" I call from the stairs.]

"Where are you going?" Peeta demands, following me.

"To get my laptop." I tell him. He follows me upstairs. "What?" I ask when he blocks the door.

"Do you realize how angry you've made me?" he whispers.

"Me? Why? I didn't do anything,"

"Yes. You in this." He nods at my minimal clothing. I just laugh and brush past him. "Every time I look at you I can see you naked in my mind." He whispers in my ear. I just snicker.

"I'll bet I look better in your mind then I actually do in person." I assume as I pass him.

PEETA'S POV

I can't believe she thinks that she looks better in my mind then she does in person.

She's wrong. She looks stunning in person and she looks amazing in my mind.

She looks better in person though. I stare at her ass as she walks down the stairs, and I can tell she's purposely swaying her hips.

She's such a little tease. I sit down in my chair and she sits down right on my lap.

Dammit Katniss. She loves driving me crazy till I'm about to scream, and then relieving me later. I open word on her laptop. She's about to ask me something but I start to type.

_Are you __trying__ to kill me?_

She shifts and laughs.

_No…you can't die from want, baby. I'm trying to drive you crazy because your cute when your h…never mind. _

I sigh and rest my chin on her shoulder. She sweeps her hair out of my face and completely exposes the skin there.

She smells like baby oil and coconut shampoo. She always smells like this naturally.

_Fine then. Two can play at this game. _

She smirks. _Agreed. Whoever cracks first has to let the other be in charge. And how about we go a little…say, fifty shades? The one who cracked first has to be __handcuffed__ to the bed._

Oh god.

_Okay. Deal. You better get ready to have your hands cuffed, _I type.

_Diddo, _she types back.

Oh damn, this is war.

We start searching for houses.  
She purposely does things to make me crack. After a while, everyone leaves, rendering us alone.  
Now the silence lingers in the air. Her cheeks are flushed red and I can tell she's having very raunchy thoughts right now.  
"I don't even care if I'm chained." She admits. "I just want you."  
"Are you giving up? That soon?" I ask. She bites her lips.  
"We haven't had sex in bed in almost a year. I don't give a fuck how it happens. I just want it to happen right now."  
"Yes ma'am." I sweep her into my arms.

...9...

KATNISS POV

My phone starts ringing after I get out of the shower. Peeta's already answered it. I walk out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel on and take my phone from him. It's Kilee's school.  
"Hello?" I ask, already knowing what's coming.  
"Is this the mother of Kilee Mellark?" A lady asks over the line.  
"This is." I reply.  
"Well...she had an anxiety attack and tripped and fell down the stairs...and now she's unconscious. We took her in an ambulance to North County Occupational Medicine."  
Oh my god. "Okay, thank you." I say. "Do I need to come and get her stuff?" I ask, trying to keep the frantic ness out of my voice as I drop my towel and start to pull on clothes.  
"Yes. We'll have it in the office for you." She says.  
"Okay, thank you so much."  
"Oh no, thank you." She says. I hang up.  
"You need to get ready. Kilee fell down the stairs after having an anxiety attack and passed out. She's on the way to North County Occupational Medicine." Peeta starts getting frantically dressed. I drop my Tristen room and lift him from his crib. Peeta follows me. It's already one thirty so I just go and get the kids early.

"Why are we going home early, Mama?" Hallie asks.

"Because your sister is in the hospital and I don't know how long we are going to be there for." I reply. I'm driving because I wanted to, driving helps to clear my mind.

"Mama, are we moving?" Brennan asks. I look to Peeta, who sighs.

"Yes." I reply.

"Why?" Bailee demands.

"Because we have to…you'll understand when your older." I reply.

"Are we short on money?" Hallie asks. For an eight year old, she's pretty brilliant. Peeta laughs though. "Hal, we have more money than we can even handle right now." Peeta replies. With so many restaurants scattered all around the country, we have so much money we could by a hundred thousand dollar house and still have money to buy three more.

"Are we going to see Justin again? And Chase and Olivia and Auntie Annie and Auntie Prim and Auntie Jo Jo? And our Uncle's?"

"Of course we will." I reply. We pull into Kilee's school and Peeta looks confused. "I'll be back in two seconds." I say. I get out of the car and head quickly inside.

"Her stuff is right there, Mrs. Mellark." The secretary says. Most of the staff at this school knows me because I'm here almost every day when Kilee's has a breakdown. I grab Kilee's stuff.

"Thank you," I wave as I walk out, opening up the back door and setting her stuff in front of Tristen's seat and then walk around to the front and get in my side. "Suppose I should call Johanna and probably everyone else." I grumble.

"Don't call them. Just do a group message-actually, you're driving. I'll do it." Peeta says.

**No I did not steal this story from KatJoPeetaFinn. That is my other account. **

**If you guys have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. **

**P.S. YOU GUYS ARE SO LUCKY I'M NOT EVEN ON BREAK YET!**


	19. Chapter 19

She broke her arm, that's basically it.

Now the kids are in bed. She had hit her head too, and that is what the doctors said knocked her out. She doesn't have a concussion, thank god.

Peeta and I are sitting in the living room, across from one another.

"We need to move. Soon. She can't go back to school. There's no way." I whisper. He runs his hand through his hair and sighs.

"I know…" he mutters. "I guess I'm trying to stall…I don't want to leave everyone here. Like Finnick and Annie and Prim and Alex and the kids and Johanna and Dustin and Gale and Madge and their kids. I don't know…it…it hurts." He whispers.

"I just wish they would come, but they can't just drop everything and move. Not with the kids." I exhale.

"Well there's no point in wasting time hoping, because it's not going to change anything. We need to move to help Kilee. Let's start looking." He gets up and walks upstairs. I start to follow him but he's back down before I can even get up.

"So Wyoming?" he asks.

"If that's what you want." I reply. He sits down next to me and I lean my head on this shoulder.

"Somewhere like where we live now? Kind of in the country and kind of in the city?" he asks

"Um…yeah, I think so." I reply.

"Alright." He starts to search houses.

We search for five hours and find nothing. It's now four in the morning. I yawn and he sighs.

'Let's just continue this in the-"

"Wait, what is that! Go back up, please." I sit up. He scrolls up and I see a house sitting right on a lake. The driveway winds around from the street behind the house to the front, which is facing the lake. There is a balcony wound all the way around the second floor. There are stairs that lead into the lake and there is a garden outside the front ad even stairs on the balcony that lead down into the grass. And there's a chimney.

I love this house so much. It's six bedrooms so the girls don't have to share. And it's five bathrooms.

"Oh my god Peeta, I want this house." I exclaim excitedly. He looks at the price and grins.

"Let's get it."

We search all over the place for any information we need and then we get in contact with the agent, who is still awake. It's a two hour time difference, so it's two in the morning there.

"I feel bad, what if we woke her up?" I ask.

"Oh well. If she's really wants the house to sell she'll suck it up." He says. I sigh.

"I guess you're right." I grumble.

We're still up around seven, and Hallie comes downstairs, completely dressed. "What about school?" she asks. I look to Peeta, who just shrugs.

"Go back to bed honey," I reply.

"I'm not going to school?" she asks.

"No,"

"Okay." She turns around and goes right back upstairs.

At ten, we finally manage to buy the house. Since Peeta is now on the phone with her, she tells him that she'll have the key under the mat and we can move whenever we like.

Then it's done.

"Are we not going to school?" Kilee asks, now joined us in the living room with Bailee, Brennan, Hallie and Tristen.

"No, you're not. Probably not ever again in this state,"

"We're moving?" Kilee demands.

"Yes, to Wyoming. We already bought the house. Now your father and I haven't slept. We're going to bed. Don't break anything and come and wake us if you need something." I stand up.

"Okay, what's for breakfast?" Bailee asks.

"I'll make toast." Kilee stands up. Peeta and I go upstairs.

….1….

"I'm really going to miss you guys." I whisper, hugging everyone goodbye.

"I'm still pissed your moving." Johanna whispers in my ear. "I'm trying to talk Dustin into moving with you and maybe we can open an ice cream place there or another type of shop or something." She whispers.

"Just pull the 'I'm going with or without you.' and then start packing." I hiss. She snickers.

"Good plan," she whispers back. I release her and hug everyone else.

"I'm moving too. I'm making him move." Annie whispers.

"Good," I whisper back.

"I'm probably moving with you Kat." Prim whispers.

That's pretty much everyone and we can have the Hawthorne's visit during summers. We already established that.

….a….

"I'm hungry!" Hallie whines.

What, that's the tenth time, twentieth time we've stopped?

"No you're not." I tell Hallie.

"Yeah I am Mama," she mumbles.

"No. You're not. Your just bored." Kilee says.

"Stop it Kilee! Don't tell me when I'm hungry and when I'm not!" Hallie screams.

"Well then don't lie to Mom and Dad!" Kilee shouts back. All the kids start screaming at one another, and I'm way too annoyed to deal with it.

"Enough!" Peeta shouts, pulling over. It's only eight at night, we left at eight this morning. We've stopped ten times because Hallie keeps getting hungry. "I've had enough. Stop fighting! Hallie, you've eaten ten times today, your stomach is not that big, there is no way you're hungry. Kilee, don't tell your sister what to do because that's going to anger her, Brennan, Bailee, don't join in on your sisters fights. You're just going to get yourself in trouble that way."

"But I am hungry!" Hallie complains.

"Fine." I snap. "I'm driving." I say to Peeta. He sighs and unbuckles. I get out and storm around to his side of the car.

The house is furnished and we only needed to bring the kids furniture, and all of it except for the dresser is in boxes so it's in the bed of the truck. The other things are in the boxes. My car is being towed behind from the hatch on the truck and some boxes are in there. Max, the puppy, is on Kilee's lap.

"Can I have my iPod back please?" Kilee asks.

She hasn't wanted to look at it since she got expelled. She was allowed to have it back the second she told me what really happened, but she didn't want it. I've had her iPod and earbuds in my side drawer but I moved it to my purse.

I don't question her, I just dig it out and give it to her, and the earbuds. "Here," I say.

"I want a iPod!" Bailee whines.

"Your seven, you don't need an iPod. Play your DS." I reply.

"Thanks Mom." Kilee says.

"You're welcome." I start to drive.

"Mama, I'm hungry." Hallie says.

"Hallie, stop telling me you're hungry. I heard you and I'm going to get you food." I say.

"I can't believe you're going to let her eat. Again." Peeta grumbles. I pull into a grocery store instead of a fast food place.

"Can I come in?" Hallie asks.

"No. Stay in the car." I reply.

"Please?" She begs.

"No Hallie," Then I shut the door after grabbing my wallet and go inside.

She wants to eat? Fine, she can eat all she wants.

I get a cooler and a ton of fruits that the kids love and water bottles with healthy drink packets to flavor them, and then I get a bag of Peeta and I's favorite chips, the hot Cheetos, and I get the two of us drinks and a bag of ice. I buy everything and walk out of the store, stopping outside at a bench and ripping open the ice and dumping it into the cooler. I put all the food in the cooler except for the chips and me and Peeta's drinks and go back to the car.

"There you go, eat up." I say. Hallie opens the cooler.

"I don't want this." She says.

"Well then you can't be hungry." I say. Peeta looks into the cooler and I see his lips twitch. Kilee doesn't seem to care. She grabs a peach and a water and a packet and sits quietly.

"Can I have those?" Hallie points to the Cheetos in my hand.

"You won't like them." I reply. She hates spicy foods.

"Can I have it anyways?" she asks.

"You can try it. Just one though." I open it up and hold the bag out to her. She grabs one cheeto and eats it.

"Hot! That's hot Mama!" she cries. She grabs water and a packet, and with help from Kilee, she manages to calm her tongue. I hand Peeta his drink and grab some of the Cheetos.

"Thanks," he says.

"Mmm hmm," I reply. I start driving again.

**Okay so I was listening to the song "Springsteen" by Eric Church and I got a brilliant idea. I'm, going to start a new story. Next chapter is the last chapter. **

**Should I make a Finnick and Katniss story?**

**I really an dying to, but everyone doesn't want me to. **


	20. Chapter 20: Epilogue

The neighborhood is littered with kids. The kids spend all day outside during the summer, swimming in the lake, or having snowball fights during winter. On bad snow days, they come to our house and make cookies.

We homeschool the kids. Kilee turns back to normal and hangs out with the kids her age. She's seventeen now, and she's got a boyfriend.

Peeta set him down for three hours while Kilee was at the mall with her friends and interrogated him. Kilee walked into the door and was completely pissed at Peeta. She refused to talk to him for a week.

Now we have four teenagers and a six year old.

"Hey Mom?" Kilee asks. Peeta's playing football with the kids in the backyard while I make dinner.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"How did you know when you loved Dad?" she asks.

"You love Aiden, don't you?" Hallie demands as she brushes past me to the fridge. She's fourteen, Brennan and Bailee are thirteen.

"I don't know." She sits down on the counter. "Mom, how did you know?"

"I didn't…he said I love you….and I realized I loved him too. That's it. Then again, I'd been in love with him since I was a baby and didn't even know." I reply.

"Since you were a baby?" Hallie repeats.

"Yeah, you guys know we grew up together, right?" I ask. They both look shocked. "Oh come on! You guys knew that." I say disapprovingly.

"I didn't." Bailee joins us in the kitchen and gets a bowl of hot Cheetos with much more than she's going to eat. "So do you love him Ki?"

"I don't know!" She looks frustrated.

"Well I'm not an idiot, Kilee Mellark. I know your sexually active with him."

"Mom!" she exclaims as Hallie and Bailee start laughing.

"What? It's true. Don't think I can't hear you moaning at night. Either that or your masturbating,"

"Mom!" she groans. "Shut up! That's disgusting!"

"What, that I'm talking about it or that you know I'm right and just don't want to admit it?" I reply.

"Fine! Dammit, yes, we've had sex."

"Well I hope your using protection." I say.

"Mom!" She groans.

"Oh calm down. Just wait till I tell your father. He's going tro have the sex talk with you." ni snicker and she groans.

"Whatever! How do I know if I love him?" she demands.

"Well you've had sex…which obviously means you've kissed. When you kiss, do you get a tingle?" I ask

"That's the stupidest fucking question-"

"Watch your mouth!" I shout at her. She sighs.

"Yes, why?" she asks.

"Because I got that when I kissed Peeta."

"Okay, I don't want to hear about you and Dad's love life. That's disgusting." Kilee grumbles.

"Do you guys still have sex?" Hallie asks.

"Hang on," I walk to the back door. "Hey babe?" I call. He catches the football and wipes sweat off his forehead, turning his attention to me.

"What?" he asks.

"Kilee's had sex and the girls want to know if we still do." I say. His face turns to stone and he tosses the ball to Brennan who starts to toss it with Chase. Most of the family lives up here now. Both boys are hysterical.

"Mom! I can't believe you told Dad!" Kilee shouts from the kitchen. Peeta brushes past me.

"You've had sex?" He demands.

"Yes…" she mutters, her voice dull, her face bright red.

"Don't. You're going to get pregnant and you're going to have quadruplets and youor going to live in a fucking trailer with a zillion kids and you're going to be begging your mother and I for money. Don't have sex, don't get pregnant, don't get married and never move out. If you do, you'll get hit by a car and die."

Kilee, Hallie and Bailee roll their eyes. "That's bull shit." Kilee says.

"Language." I say, spraying her with the water from the sink.

"Hey!" she exclaims.

"What? Watch your damn mouth." I reply.

"Your curse all the time." She snaps.

"And I'm thirty eight years old." I snap back.

"Are you going to answer my question?" Hallie demands.

"What's your question?" Peeta asks.

"Do you guys still have sex?" Peeta snorts and I laugh. I steal some Cheetos from Bailee's bowl.

"Why do you think the walls in this house are soundproof?" I ask.

I've learned, over years, that no matter what happens, life goes on. The attack from 9/11 changed my life, but, when the nightmares come back at night sometimes, Peeta is always there to lead me through it. He's always there to hold me up. He's got my back, and he's never going to leave.

I trust Peeta with my life, and I know that family is everything.

I remember when I was nine. I didn't understand why my Mom always took the least best things so Prim and I could have the best. I get that now. I remember I asked her "Mama, why don't you take the better things?" she had laughed and said "Oh honey, you'll understand when your older. With kids of your own."

She was right. I do understand.

My family comes first.

If someone came into the house and said he had to kill one of us, or all of us, I would willingly go.

My family is what I live for.

My family is my entire life.


End file.
